Heart's Desire
by C. LeShay
Summary: AU In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Hueco Mundo, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy,Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself
1. Chapter 1

Fanfict Title: Heart's Desire

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, IshiHime, Byakuya, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I can possibly do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13) and the vaizards, quincy, and everyone else. The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Hueco Mundo, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

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Chapter 1

They have been laying siege at the Kuchiki palace for ten days now.

Kurosaki Ichigo, Taicho of the 14th division had to grudgingly admit that whichever seated personnel left in the district were competent enough to have held out this long. In truth, he felt a bit relieved that his endeavor did not end as easily as he expected. Knowing that Kuchiki Byakuya, Taicho of the 6th division and his fukutaicho, Abarai Renji was out busy fighting the Arrancar, made him find this whole siege boring. It was not at all fun to attack unarmed and defenseless people.

Unfortunately, the siege lasted longer than what he initially wanted and it was now making him impatient and angry. Ishida, his fukutaicho, was still missing after he and his 6th seat, Keigo went ahead ten days ago to spy within the Kuchiki's district.

Already a taicho at the age of 20, Kurosaki Ichigo really was a force to be reckoned with. His father was once the Taicho of his division and it was from him that Ichigo learned everything in combat. He stood imposingly, a scowl present on his face as he contemplated his next move. Whoever it was that was leading the remaining troops of the 6th division was a smart and strong shinigami. Every time his men advanced, they were pushed back with tactics that were far from simple. Ichigo was even suspicious that it was Byakuya who was rallying and giving orders, but as he was still busy with the Arrancar at Hueco Mundo, he knew that it was not the case.

Ichigo stood with his back straight, his lean frame a contradiction to his raw strength and power. Angrily, he ran a hand through his orange-colored hair. He was seriously conflicted on what he'll do to that officer who had been thwarting his plans: either to kill him painfully in anger or convince him to switch sides and be his ally.

"Kurosaki Taicho!" a soldier called out.

"Speak."

The shinigami cleared his throat. "Taicho, the younger brother of Kuchiki Taicho is here and is requesting to talk with you."

Ichigo just looked at him in disbelief.

Mizuiro, his 5th seat shrugged, "It's a common course of action for a Kuchiki, Ichigo." He said simply. "You know that they value diplomacy until the very last minute.

"A boy?" scoffed Tatsuki, the division's only high-ranking female member. "A boy would risk his neck just to get here? And I didn't know he had a younger brother too."

"Keigo and his information gaps." Mizuiro said in disgust.

"We don't hurt women, children, and the elderly, Tatsuki." Sado said. Ichigo's third seat was generally a quiet and peace-loving giant who had nerves and a body as strong as steel. "But that was quite reckless of him."

Ichigo frowned. "Let the brat in."

The shinigami who brought in the news bowed before going outside to call the child in.

Ichigo had to restrain his amusement, while his officers snickered at amusement. The lad was certainly a short one, barely reaching his chest. He was scrawny and looked extremely ridiculous wearing an expensive and large haori that was obviously his brother's underneath a blue hakama and gi. On the child's head was a large straw hat and he carried a large broadsword in one hand. Shaking, he clumsily stuck the sword on the ground as a show of his peaceful intentions.

Despite the comical display, the boy showed a calm exterior and coolness in his posture. Considering that he looked about 11 or so, it was a feat that is worthy of respect. In the back of his mind, Ichigo wondered if all Kuchiki children were taught to act like adults before they could walk.

"I will not remove my hat." The boy said quietly, as if his throat was hoarse and it was paining him to speak. Not quite similar with the cold yet dulcet tones of his older sibling.

"So be it." Ichigo said, amused at the show of bravado and pride. "Speak as to why you boldly venture to my camp?"

"I ask you to cease this siege, Kurosaki Taicho." The child said simply. "Our people are weak and hungry as yours are. Truth be told, we still have shinigami capable of fighting, but we cannot risk the innocent to starve anymore." The boy raised his head and Ichigo could see a swath of black-colored hair – bangs actually, that reached the child's small and pert nose; small lips deliberately set thinly; and something that looked like a stubbornly set chin. Everything else about his face was obscured.

By the looks of it, this child could be younger than 11 or he had been extremely pampered to have such an innocent, delicate, and almost feminine air about him. Neither did Ichigo miss the weak resemblance the boy had to his famed brother who was claimed by the women to have a face that was carved by the angels themselves.

"What makes you think I will cease the siege?" He asked the boy. "What is your name?"

"Kuchiki Touya, Kurosaki Taicho." The boy replied. "Please sir, my brother is not here and whatever it is that you want cannot be here because all of our prized possessions have been hidden by Nii-sama – secretly hidden somewhere prior to his leave. Our fields and livestock has been razed, you will not get anything from them."

Ichigo looked levelly at the boy, impressed at his logic and courage. "I have something to settle with your brother and his friend – Aizen Souske. Tell me Touya, where is your sister, Rukia?"

"Rukia?" the boy's jaw dropped open, "Kurosaki Taicho, she is not here! She left eight days ago to head to Aizen Taicho's district."

"Eight days ago?"

"Yes, Kurosaki Taicho. Her wedding will be held next month and it was suggested by Nii-sama that they should meet again. She was supposed to return next week…"

"Shit!" Cursed Ichigo. How did that happen when they were guarding all the passes and had the castle surrounded? Was there something that they missed? How the hell did Kuchiki Rukia escape if not for a secret passage then?

"Oi, are you telling the truth?" Tatsuki asked, stepping closer to the child. "If you're lying, Touya –

"I swear that she is not in the palace anymore, ma'am!" Touya said earnestly. "If you ask anyone, they'll tell you that Rukia is already outside the walls of Nii-sama's division as well. I solemnly swear on the grave of my saintly wife!"

"Oi, aren't you too young to be married?" Tatsuki growled.

The boy shrugged "But that's what all the men say when they swear."

Tatsuki had the urge to laugh, bust she just glared at the boy before giving him an impish smile. This kid had spunk; she had to give him that.

Mizuiro shook his head. "Damn it, how could Keigo have missed the info! We're wasting our time here if Kuchiki Rukia is already with Aizen."

Ichigo frowned. This was bad; they had been anticipating Kuchiki Rukia to be in the palace, which was why they were here in the first place. Without Byakuya's sister, there would be no leverage for Ichigo anymore. Everything he planned for came to naught. All he did was wasting innocent lives – needlessly.

"Kurosaki Taicho?" Touya's voice broke his thoughts, "Will you cease this siege?"

The plaintive tone of the boy made Ichigo looked back. God, why did he have to deal with younger siblings? He already had been eating out of the hands of his younger sisters; and now, this brat was using The Tone with him.

"Fine." He said dismissively. "We will withdraw. You may go now, Kuchiki Touya; I certainly hope to meet you in battle when you are older." It was a weird way of showing compliment, but Ichigo wanted to get the point across. This Kuchiki may prove to be more interesting and more worthy of his respect than the emotionless bastard that was Byakuya and his ice queen sister, Rukia.

Touya smiled slightly, once again feeding the idea that he was the Kuchiki challenging. Ichigo was only able to meet Byakuya, but it was rumored that all the Kuchiki's took their ranks and prides seriously, never showing emotions and always looking down at those who didn't belong to a noble lineage. This one was bold, emblazoned with zeal, and was thinking of the people instead of winning a pointless battle. Thus, Ichigo decided to ensure the survival of this child. He just might be the future of the Kuchiki clan.

With obvious difficulty, Touya attempted to remove the sword from the earth. It took him a few clumsy efforts before Sado pitied him and took out the sword himself.

"Here."

"Thank you, sir!" Touya chirped before he staggered outside.

"Well, that was informative." Mizuiro said as soon as the boy was out of earshot.

Tatsuki growled. "That idiot Keigo! Seriously, how stupid could he be?"

"I'm worried." Sado interrupted; "Ishida is with him, he would not allow such slip ups to happen. If it did, something went wrong."

Ichigo growled, slapping the table with both hands. "All the planning we did went to waste! Damn!"

"What about Ishida and Keigo?" Tatsuki asked. "Ichigo, you should have asked Touya to bring them out. Maybe you can send word when you call out a truce?"

"Fine." Ichigo said dryly. "If you ask me, I'd like Keigo to return safely, so I can draw and quarter him myself."

The others laughed. They didn't pity Keigo really, but if Ichigo gets his hands on him, he was so dead yesterday.

The siege was bloody, and no one really wanted it to happen in the first place. Not when most of the divisions in Seiretei were busy with the war against the Arrancars. Ichigo was now contemplating a plan on how to get to the elusive Kuchiki Rukia, the ice princess. He needed her alive for his plans to get to Aizen. Without her, he would be unable to extract retribution from the damned Taicho of the 5th division, not when everyone in Seiretei holds him in high regard.

The damn two-faced bastard will get it – even if that's the last thing he would do.

"Kurosaki Taicho!" a shinigami cried out as he dashed to the tent. "Permission to enter, Taicho!"

"What is it now?" Ichigo all but snapped.

"Taicho, Ishida fukutaicho and 6th seat, Asano-san are here sir… and with a… guest."

"What the hell is this, a tea party?" Ichigo thundered.

"Please don't shout, Kurosaki, its very unbecoming of a Taicho." Drawled Ishida, albeit tiredly, as he entered the tent. He looked a bit pale and muddy but he didn't seem to be injured too much. Behind him came a woman who was dressed in once clean and beautiful clothing that was now streaked with mud and dried blood. She had long auburn hair that were mussed and tangled hopelessly and wide, grey eyes that were suddenly fixed on the ground.

Judging at the possessive way Ishida seemed to be standing in front of her, as if protecting her, Ichigo didn't think it was polite to remark that she had an impressive pair of… errr, she had a graceful neck.

"Ishida!" The others called out.

"Don't sound like you all expected me to die." Ishida snapped. "I almost did, if not for lady Inoue here who found me and treated my wounds."

Ichigo looked at the trembling woman before looking back at Ishida. "Like you'd die easily."

Ishida allowed himself to give the barest of smiles. "Guess who got me into trouble?" he asked, as Keigo sheepishly showed himself in.

"It was really an accident, Ichigo!"

There was a sound of disbelieving anger from Ishida. "Setting our camp in the woods on fire is not an accident, Keigo."

Tatsuki noticed the girl swaying on her feet. God knows how tired she could be. This woman saved her friend's life and for that, Tasuki was willing to help her in any way she could. "You should take a seat." She told the girl kindly as she assisted her to a sofa.

"Are you hungry or thirsty? We'll send something for you." She sent Ishida an assuring glance that was reciprocated by the other with a nod.

As the others all sat down, Ishida faced his Taicho. "Kurosaki, it was my fault we were unable to warn you, I was indisposed."

"Never mind, Ishida. I just didn't think you were that easy to take out."

Ishida gave Ichigo a steady glare. "I can't believe that Byakuya's sister was that good with tactics, I wish I got word to you sooner."

Now that got Ichigo's attention. "Excuse me? Byakuya's sister held the fort?"

Keigo nodded. "Every order was from her, Ichigo. Every whispered action was from the lips of the unattainable and divine Kuchiki Rukia herself…"

Ishida held up a hand to silence Keigo. "Do not upset Lady Inoue!" he hissed. "Ichigo," he said to his Taicho, "Lady Inoue Orihime and Lady Kuchiki Rukia are good friends, she acted out of compassion and I wish that you will not pressure her with information regarding her friend."

"Ichigo already knows a lot about Lady Kuchiki," Keigo said, interrupting the bespectacled fukutaicho. "She's dainty, with hair as dark as night, with complexion as fair and unblemished as the first snow –

"And that she's already with Aizen." Mizuiro said dryly.

There was a gasp from Inoue Orihime. "N-n-no. It can't be." Suddenly, she stopped and covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sorry." She mumbled.

"Finish what you were saying, Inoue." Ichigo ordered sternly, causing the girl to quake in fear.

"For goodness' sake, Ichigo," Tatsuki said in exasperation, "This is not the inquisition."

Inoue took a big gulp before looking at Ishida, who nodded to reassure her. "She couldn't be with Aizen Taicho, Kurosaki Taicho. She doesn't even want to marry him in the first place!"

Tatsuki took a step back. "But Kuchiki Touya said she was with Aizen."

"Touya?" Inoue asked, confused "Kuchiki Touya?"

"Kuchiki Touya, Byakuya and Rukia Kuchiki's younger brother." Ichigo said impatiently.

"But he can't have told you that!" a confused Inoue said quickly. "That's just impossible!"

At the disbelieving looks in their faces, Inoue shook her head, "Kuchiki Touya is a dog! He's the pet of Rukia since she was a little girl… he died last month…"

"Her brother was here, lady Inoue." Sado said, "He introduced himself to us."

Keigo shook his head. "Byakuya has no other sibling than Kuchiki Rukia!"

Ishida looked at the other man "Then who…"

Suddenly Ichigo sprang from his seat. "The fuck! Get out of my way!"

"Ichigo!" Tatsuki called out to her friend as Taicho dashed out of the tent. "What's wrong with him?"

Piecing the fragmented information together, Ishida turned even paler. "Oh shit, it was Kuchiki Rukia that was here!"

…

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…

Deciding to forgo his horse, Ichigo opted to go on foot – via shunpo. True, his steed was a fast one, but desperate times call for desperate measures to get to Kuchiki Rukia on time. She had played him for a fool! While he had been busy being impressed with Byakuya's little brother, he had the woman he was looking for in his grasp and he let her go!

Thinking back, Ichigo realized that her speech and manner had been manipulated in order to deceive, that the clothing she wore was also part of the façade. If Ishida was to be believed that Kuchiki Rukia was a master tactician and clever opponent, the woman would not head off to her home where she would risk capture. And she was probably in a different disguise or nothing at all. Thus, he took to the direction opposite to Byakuya's division, hoping that he was right in his decision.

Kuchiki Rukia better pray that she could outrun him, because he was definitely going to make her pay.

That didn't stop him from admitting that the woman was smart.

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…

It was the longest and hardest ride she had ever done in her entire life. There had been no time for her to gloat at her success, to say goodbye to her faithful servants, and to give last-minute orders to the remaining shinigami. She hoped that they would follow her written instructions to the letter; that would buy them time against Kurosaki Taicho until she reached the 13th division to get reinforcements.

Kuchiki Ruki knew that her Nii-sama's friend and her mentor, Ukitake Taicho would help her, even if it were only to placate the orange haired taicho who was holding her home in a tight grasp. Her horse was fast, but she would not take any chances by stopping to change into a different disguise for fear that she would be caught. In a hurry, she hid the haori and hat among the bushes and donned on a black cloak over her clothing. Despite the fact that it would be evening soon and her clothing would cover her from view, her mare was the color of pure white – it would be seen easily.

She would be damned before she left her mount behind.

Dear god, she hoped that the rumors were false and that Kurosaki Ichigo's shunpo was not really as swift as the wind.

Suddenly, Rukia felt the mare become uneasy as they rode across the countryside. It only meant one thing: someone was behind them. With tensed muscles, she urged the horse to go faster.

There was a blur to her left and her stomach sank in dismay as she realized that the rider already passed her. She was in trouble.

Her path was blocked and Rukia had no choice but to halt her horse and make her mare slowly take a couple of steps back. Unconsciously, her right hand left the reigns to touch the hilt of her sword. The feel of it reassured her. Whatever would happen, she will not go down as a victim. With that, she felt courageous enough to meet the intruder's stare.

The first thing she saw was the god-awful color of orange.

Kurosaki Ichigo. Taicho of the 14th squad. The second-youngest captain in the history of Seiretiei.

Slowly, Kurosaki Ichigo made his way towards her. Rukia got a good look of him this time. He was tall and lean, yet he commanded a certain presence that radiated of power and strength. He wasn't bronzed and looked like a barbarian like her Nii-sama's fukutaicho, Abarai Renji; nor was he fair and regal-looking like Byakuya. Yet there was something about him that was making Rukia's gut feels like it housed a village of hell butterflies. Kurosaki Ichigo had impressive features, of course, strong and masculine angles with a scowl that was menacing as hell. Slowly, he came nearer, making her looked at his eyes which were the color of warm amber; but at the moment, there was a blaze of fury that was lighting them. "Kuchiki Rukia. We have your friend, Inoue Orihime."

At those words, Rukia felt like weeping. Her best friend was in his hands, and it will be a choice between Orihime's freedom or hers.

"Really?" she asked. "What proof do you have?"

Ichigo was surprised to hear Kuchiki Rukia's voice. It was not like any he had encountered before and completely different than the one she employed when she masqueraded as a young boy. There was nothing fragile or girlish about it. This was not the voice of a pampered lady who knew nothing but parties and intrigue. It was of a woman who was learned and had control. It was a melodious alto, evenly toned, and had a trace of huskiness that could bring a man to their knees.

This was Kuchiki Rukia, the ice princess of Seiretei. This is the woman who was considered to be the ultimate prize for any man. Despite not attending social functions, Ichigo was aware of this woman's reputation. One who had bloodlines so pure and a dowry so lavish to tempt just about any man. Of course, the rumor of her spurning more than a hundred suitors from nobles and ranked shinigami otherwise, before being betrothed to Aizen taicho, already kept the gossip mill churning.

The rumors regarding her looks were not exaggerated as well. Kuchiki Rukia was an ice princess for all purposes. She indeed had the complexion that was as pure and as fair as fresh snow, and her dark hair as black as midnight was partially hidden by the hood of her cloak. Her brows were winged and elegant. Her nose was indeed small and her chin had a stubborn edge to it. The lips that he once thought of as thin were in fact, generous and tinged with light red. But it was her eyes that proved to be her most interesting feature. They were a rare color between indigo and violet – large and mysterious, hidden by thick lashes.

Mentally, Ichigo shook his head. "Inoue Orihime. Taller than you, auburn hair. Grey eyes, big… err, nice neck. Did I forget clumsy and shy as hell?"

Whatever reaction Rukia had, she hid it well. "I'm afraid I do not recognize that girl which you described, Kurosaki Taichio." Rukia shrugged elegantly, as if addressing a peasant. "Stand aside and let me pass."

"Oh, so you're to leave your best friend all alone in your enemy's camp?"

The hidden meaning hung in the air but Rukia just raised an elegant eyebrow. "I'm afraid you got the wrong person, Kurosaki Taicho. Inoue Orihime is a resourceful woman who can take care of herself. She would never be caught by the likes of you."

"I never said I caught her, idiot." Ichigo said, scowling. "She came to us herself, by her own free will."

That made Rukia gasped. "You lie." She said evenly, strain hidden from her face.

It was now Ichigo's turn to shrug. "Does that looks like a lie to you?" he asked arrogantly, pointing to something behind her.

Warily, Rukia turned to look. She gasped. It was Orihime who she saw from the distance! She was riding with a bespectacled man astride a brown horse. Without a doubt, Kurosaki's men were also behind.

"Rukia-chan! Get away!" Inoue screamed as loud as she could. "I'll be fine, just get away!"

Immediately Rukia turned to glare at Ichigo. "Let her go!"

"I think not." Ichigo said. "Ishida seems to be taking quite a fancy with her."

Without a word, Rukia drew her sword.

"You wish to fight me?" Ichigo asked in amusement.

"Draw your sword and fight." She commanded.

Ichigo just glared at her. "Do you think you can fight me? Put down your sword woman, before you get hurt."

The other just looked at him. "One of us will die before the sun sets and your men arrive." Rukia raised her sword. "Either way, it will be by my hand." Carefully, she steered her horse with one hand on the reigns.

It was not the time to observe his opponent in a superficial way, but Ichigo noticed how Kuchiki Rukia's eyes were alight with fire, making them more luminous than ever. Her face was flushed and her mouth was set in obvious concentration. She may be definitely smaller, but this was the woman who almost annihilated his forces with her cunning – thus, he knew she was not to be taken lightly.

It was wrong on all levels, but Ichigo could feel himself – his traitorous body – react to her iciness.

"Aa." He said simply as he drew out his sword as well. It was a large, cleaver-like sword, which had no guard but had wrappings around its hilt. To the untrained eye, it looked fairly primitive.

However, Rukia was aware that the sword was the Taicho's released shikai, and it had already been in that state, signifying the amount of power he carried. She immediately knew that a shikai to shikai battle was dangerous and messy. "I would like you to meet my Zanpaktuo, Lady Rukia… Zangetsu."

To Ichigo's surprise, Rukia held out her sword and immediately, it changed to a shikai form. Unlike the large one she lugged to his camp before or the simple katana just earlier, this one was long and elegant, a bit thin, and it was white from the tip to the hilt, like it was carved from ivory and it had a graceful white silk ribbon from the end that floated about like gossamer. "Then learn the name of my Zanpaktuo, Kurosaki Taicho." Rukia said, as befitting the rules of battle "She is Sode no Shirayuki, and she is not to be underestimated."

Ichigo was able to contain his amazement. "I see, so you are a shinigami as well, Lady Rukia; that was not in our information."

"Your spies are worthless, Kurosaki Taicho." Rukia said simply. "Let me pass, or this will be a matter that more than two divisions in Gotei 14 that you will have to deal with. The Central 46 will not take lightly any complaints from Taichos." She inclined her head regally. "You will not only deal with the 6th and 5th divisions, but from my own division and its allies as well."

The scowl was still set in Ichigo's face. "Who are your allies then, Lady Rukia? From what division do you belong?"

"The 13th."

Ah, so she belonged to the division of Ukitake Jyushiro. Ichigo was surprised to see a Kuchiki a member of the upstanding and morally strong division under one of the most respected and powerful Taichos in the whole of Gotei 14. Ukitake Taicho was a man that Ichigo respected and often listened to. Now he was in a quandary. If he insisted on taking Kuchiki Rukia by force, he would have to contend not only with the lady's brother and fiancée, but also with her captain, as well as the Taicho of the 8th division, Kyoraku Shunsui, a close friend and staunch supporter of the 13th's head.

Ichigo knew that neither man would be any easier to deal with.

Before either one could move however, a spiritual arrow flew towards them, hitting the ground just inches from the foot of Rukia's horse. The action triggered the horse to panic and she reared abruptly.

Rukia gave a shriek of surprise as her horse tried to unseat her. Fortunately, her wits were still within her reach and Rukia nimbly jumped off the horse, grabbing the reins with one hand while brandishing her sword in the other. She might have been unseated, but her neck was not broken from a dangerous fall. She was really going to kill whoever took a shot at her horse!

Sword met sword.

Rukia grit her teeth out as the force of Ichigo's Zangetsu forced her back. She had no choice but to let go of the horse in order to utilize her full capabilities in fighting.

"No!" cried Rukia as the horse ran off, apparently spooked. "Damn you, let me pass!" she shouted, parrying the sword.

"Stay still, woman!" Roared Ichigo in his meanest voice; giving her a full blast of his frightening scowl. "Don't make me hurt you!"

"Bastard." Hissed Rukia as she used shunpo to get behind Ichigo.

Suddenly, the scowling bastard was already behind her.

"Not bad," Ichigo growled in grudging respect, "that was fast, Lady Kuchiki. Unfortunately, it is not as fast as mine."

Yes, Rukia was well aware of his reputation as a master user of shunpo. After all, he and her Nii-sama had but one sensei, the goddess of flash herself, Shihouin Yoruichi.

Blades clashed and sparks flew.

He might have studied under the goddess of flash, but Kuchiki Rukia had an ace up her sleeve.

Her kido.

Unlike other shinigami, Rukia was among the select few who were born with natural talent and mental capacity for the demon arts. Understanding her abilities allowed Rukia to take advantage of the kido books in the Kuchiki library. She was not betrothed to the most proficient kido-user in Seiretei for nothing, and Rukia learned a lot from Aizen Taicho herself.

"Byakurai!"

Ichigo was lucky he was able to step back before she singed his face. Kuchiki Rukia really was a force to reckon with; she was skilled enough to cast a kido without incantations. The short window of opportunity was exploited and Rukia used the moment to disable him with a kick to the gut and another kido. "Restrain!"

The orange-haired taicho grunted as he fell to his knees. Without waiting for his reaction, Rukia decided to shunpo away. But she had hardly cleared the first kilometer when a hand grabbed her arm.

All she could do was gasp as Kurosaki Ichigo knocked her zanpaktuo from her hand with a well-placed, successive move that hit and jarred her right wrist, elbow, and shoulder. As Sode no Shirayuki hit the ground with a dull clang, Rukia's left arm was pinned behind her as she was pulled flush against the length of Ichigo's body. "Not bad; but didn't anyone tell you that I can break through restraining kido?"

Her eyes widened. How dare he manhandle her? How dare he place her in such an undignified position?

Before Ichigo could feel the need to gloat, she reared her head back and collided it painfully with Ichigo's chin.

"Bitch!" shouted Ichigo as he threw Rukia over his shoulder. "Cease!" he ordered forcefully as he held back a flailing noblewoman who was trying to scratch or bite him into letting her go. Running out of options, he decided instead to swat her bottom several times.

"Bastard!" howled Rukia, squirming from the pain to her posterior.

"Rukia-chan!" Inoue was shouting as she neared her friend. "Kurosaki Taicho, please don't hurt her!"

Ichigo held Rukia in place by her back. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Lady Kuchiki; either way, you're coming with me.

"I do not yield, Kurosaki Ichigo, I do not yield!"

…

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…

**C. LeShay's corner** (Commonly known as Author's Notes): Thank you to my e-father, Kaya, the beta reader for this fic! I can't believe that your evil twin Bananakaya made you do all this; no credit goes to him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, IshiHime, Byakuya, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13) and the vaizards, quincy, and everyone else. The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

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Recap of previous chapter:

_Her eyes widened. How dare he manhandle her? How dare he place her in such an undignified position?_

_Before Ichigo could feel the need to gloat, she reared her head back and collided it painfully with Ichigo's chin._

"_Bitch!" shouted Ichigo as he threw Rukia over his shoulder. "Cease!" he ordered forcefully as he held back a flailing noblewoman who was trying to scratch or bite him into letting her go. Running out of options, he decided instead to swat her bottom several times._

"_Bastard!" howled Rukia, squirming from the pain to her posterior._

"_Rukia-chan!" Inoue was shouting as she neared her friend. "Kurosaki Taicho, please don't hurt her!"_

_Ichigo held Rukia in place by her back. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Lady Kuchiki; either way, you're coming with me._

"_I do not yield, Kurosaki Ichigo, I do not yield!"_

…

…

…

It was evening by the time they reached Kurosaki Taicho's new campsite. Grumpily, Ichigo barked out orders to his subordinates as he lugged the squirming Kuchiki lady like a piece of baggage.

Obviously, the lady did not care too much about the treatment she received. As soon as the lowly shinigami who met them was out of sight, Rukia doubled her efforts to get away from her captor. She squirmed, hissed, and even tried to bite Ichigo in a futile attempt to be released.

Following them were his high ranked officers with the other noble lady who assisted his fukutaicho earlier. Inoue was crying silently with tears streaming down the side of her splotchy face, holding on to Ishida's shoulders as they heard Ichigo and Rukia bicker and throw insults at each other.

"Bastard, why don't you just let Inoue go home?" hissed Rukia. "You already captured me, let her go!"

"What? And risk having you escape?" Ichigo sneered. As long as Inoue Orihime was a hostage, Kuchiki Rukia would not do anything rash and violent. The threat of her friend's safety was more than enough to ensure that she would cooperate.

Well, somewhat cooperate.

At that moment, the annoying captive resumed to hurling curses at him in between, demanding her friend to be set free.

"Please, Inoue-san…" Ishida said, "Please stop crying…"

"I can't help it!" wailed the other,"When I start crying, I can't seem to stop!" In embarrassment, Inoue tried to wipe at her eyes furiously with the handkerchief Tatsuki handed her.

"You have… no… idea…" she explained brokenly, in between sobs.

"How… Hard… It is… to cry so… so… easily!" Inoue grabbed the sleeve of Ishida's robes, "When Touya… when Touya died…"

"Touya… Touya the dog?" Tatsuki asked dryly, remembering the underhanded trick used by the Kuchiki noblewoman earlier.

Inoue nodded. "I couldn't… stop crying." She bawled to the surprise of the others. "It was humi…humi…humiliating that I was crying louder than Rukia-san…"

Turning to look at the angry pair, Mizuiro shrugged, "I don't think she'd be the type to cry."

Oblivious to the small spectacle that Inoue was causing, Ichigo and Rukia were still busy out-shouting the other in a pathetic display of rank and superiority. This mocking battle (well, it was actually a battle – just not as important as they thought) went on even when Ichigo made his way into his tent with Rukia. It was actually fortunate that despite the loud volume, not many of the Taicho's shinigami subordinates would hear the commotion firsthand.

Although they were convinced that the rumors just might reach the far-flung districts throughout Rukongai.

"Bastard! Ignorant peasant! Demented Idiot! Plebian!"

"I may be all these and more," Ichigo said smugly, "but I'm not the one who's tied up like a hog right now."

Rukia glared at him, face redder. "The first chance I get, I'll make sure you suffer the worst kind of fate you can ever imagined!"

"Been there, heard all the threats." came the bored retort. "Drawn and quartered? Disemboweled? Strangled? Decapitated? Sheesh, come up with REAL threats, woman."

Now he was just asking for it. Rukia started to see more red. "I'll cut off your manhood with a blunt knife!" She shouted.

"Ouch." Winced Mizuiro, but with ill-concealed humor as they sat at the prepared spot outside their Taicho's quarters, "That ought to hurt. I mean, really hurt."

Beside him, Keigo sniggered. "Please, like Ichigo would miss it." He scoffed. "I mean - I'm not sure how long it has been since he used it last."

As the two hurled obscenities that would make mothers blush, Tatsuki ambled over, bringing a tray of food for Inoue. "Here, you must be hungry." It was a simple fare, really. Just a large Onigiri and a jug of water.

"Please, we need to get back home." Pleaded Inoue and ignored the tray of food, despite the fact that she felt weakened by the lack of nourishment. "Many of our shinigami are wounded, and civilians are sick. We must return to help them."

Ishida shook his head. "I'm afraid that's just not possible, Inoue-san. Kurosaki Taicho definitely needs to have Kuchiki-san nearby." He looked at the woman directly, "Would you like to go back alone? We can arrange for an escort?"

Deep down, Ishida hopes Inoue would not leave her friend behind; but nobles sometimes had their own quirks, and he was expecting the other to take advantage of her chance at freedom.

"No." Inoue said heatedly, despite tears rolling down on her face. "I will not leave Rukia-san. If I cannot leave without her, I'd rather not go."

Mizuiro took a tentative bite of his meal as he motioned to the tent where the noblewoman was inside and still arguing blisteringly with his Taicho. "I was actually expecting Kuchiki-san to just fall silent and sulk, like the ice princess she's supposed to be."

"Yeah, instead she's been screaming at Ichigo like a madwoman." Added Keigo; looking at Inoue expectantly. "Very different behavior for the supposed ice princess is it not?"

"Huh?" Inoue asked. "Why would ever do you think that?"

Sado looked over. "Because that's what people say about her."

Vehemently, Inoue shook her head. "Rukia-san is not like that… Not really… No…" As the others looked at her, she felt the need to defend her friend. "She's a very nice person. She has opinions about many things and she's very smart –

"Tell me about it," grumbled Ishida. "She thwarted most of my plans for battle."

"She's just… lonely." Inoue said in a morose tone. She wanted to defend her friend, but she knew that to give them information about Rukia could only endanger her more, so she decided to stay silent again.

…

…

…

"Eat, midget." Ichigo said, shoving a plate under Rukia's nose.

"Kurosaki Taicho, I will have you address me as Kuchiki Rukia-san." She said, not looking at him as though as he was not worthy of being spared a glance.

"Right." Ichigo retorted dryly.

"Well, Kuchiki Rukia-san," he stressed.

"It could be possible. But since I am a Taicho and you are an UNseated shinigami. I don't think that it's going to happen anytime soon."

The stress on the prefix UN in unseated burned Rukia's ears, but she did not comment on it.

"Eat. Do you want to starve?"

"Thank you Taicho, but I am not hungry." Rukia replied in a cold tone. She had hardly finished the sentence when her stomach rumbled loudly.

A fleeting smirk grazed Ichigo's lips.

"Right, you're not."

In one move, he sat in front of his captive.

"Let's just cut to the chase. You need food to stay alive – eat." The woman remained motionless and he sighed. "Look, don't make me force you to open your mouth."

There was no reaction.

"Fine." Hissed Ichigo.

He took hold of Rukia's chin and nose and tried to pry her mouth open. To her credit, Rukia kept her mouth closed, flailed, and tried to kick him as hard as she could. The struggle caused them to topple off the stool and onto the ground.

"Just eat it!" snarled Ichigo, as he tried to the stubborn noble to eat the onigiri. To prevent her from hitting him anywhere, he straddled her waist, trapping her thrashing legs.

"Open your mouth, damn it!" he shouted as he tried to get her to eat. Rukia's face was already red from holding her breath, but she would rather die than to eat food he gave her. She tried clawing his face, but he was just too tall for her to reach.

"I'm going to make sure to shove it in, midget. You'll see reason when you run out of air!"

It was in this position that his ranked officers found them.

"Ichigo Taicho!" Keigo cried out in appreciation and obvious stupidity in misinterpreting the situation into something his perverted mind concocted. "I didn't think you had it in you!"

"What?" snarled Ichigo, still preoccupied with getting Rukia to eat. If he looked up and saw the expression on his subordinate's face, there was no doubt that Keigo would be very much incapacitated to do anything else tomorrow.

Sado looked at them in amusement, understanding immediately the scenario. "Ichigo Taicho, I don't think Kuchiki-san appreciates your assistance."

"Well there's no way she's going to get out of this by dying." Ichigo snapped, "I said – eat it!"

"Trust Kurosaki to drive a woman into thinking that death would be preferable than his company." Ishida said aloud.

Suddenly, Ichigo was shoved to the side. Rukia sat up, coughing hard and spluttering for air.

"What the hell?" he roared, looking up to meet Tatsuki's stern gaze.

"That is no way to treat a woman, Taicho." Tatsuki said, gritting her teeth in frustration. Angrily, she grabbed the onigiri from her Taicho's grasp, and shoved it in his mouth without warning.

"Chew it good and proper, Ichigo Taicho." She said smugly.

Ichigo spluttered, almost choking. "Ta-tasuki!"

"Moron, Taicho." She said smugly. "You don't just eat food prepared by your captor. What would you do if it's poisoned?"

"I didn't poison her food!" Ichigo said indignantly. "I was trying to get her to survive by eating."

"Taicho, you're the capturer and she's the captured." Keigo replied.

"Shut up, idiot!" growled Ichigo. "That's dumb and it makes no sense."

Angrily, Rukia glared at Ichigo, as if willing him to drop dead.

"Damn you." muttered the irate orange-top taicho. "You'll pay for this, Tatsuki."

Ishida stepped closer. "I have to say this in advance, Kuchiki-san: You will be separated from Inoue-san until we reach the 14th division. I'm sorry, but it's a precaution we must take." He understood that Inoue was too gentle and trusting to create a fuss on her own, but if she were with the wily and crafty Rukia, their camp would probably be razed to the ground.

As Ichigo ate, he listened to the others as they discussed their apparent journey back home. At the corner of his eye he saw Kuchiki Rukia sit stiffly, wile leaving her food still untouched. He also saw that Inoue tried to go to her, but Ishida held her back.

Ichigo grabbed the goblet on Rukia's tray and drank from it. "We'll be heading for home before daybreak; have everything prepared, Shuunpo is tricky enough especially if we have baggage."

The others nodded as they filed out. Tatsuki turned back to give Rukia an encouraging nod.

Ichigo sat back in front of the noble. "Here." He said, thrusting the goblet to her.

Rukia just ignored him.

"I already drank from it, midget. It's not poisoned."

The said 'midget' glared again. "It has your stupid bacteria in it."

Patience. Patience. Ichigo prayed for patience.

There was no way he would bear spending time with this bitch without strangling her. A dead Rukia was a dead end for his plans, he realized, so the bitch must stay alive…

"Do you want me to get another goblet?" he gritted out, barely restraining his temper.

"Do you HAVE another goblet around here?" she countered coolly, as if mocking him and the Spartan furnishings in his tent.

"Just drink from the damn jug, bitch." He said hotly, standing up to head off to his raised pallet, which was located in the middle of the room. He really had to get at least ten feet away from the stubborn woman before he strangled her. With a grunt, he crept on the platform to lie down, letting the coarse blankets cover him – filthy clothing and all. He was tired and he needed his rest after spending his energy chasing the damned woman.

God, she really was frustrating. It was in the back of his mind to question whether he got the right woman, this time around. Truth be told, despite being painted glossily as a graceful and fragile noblewoman who was as frigid as frost, Kuchiki Rukia was none of that. She was a sassy, loud-mouthed woman who had an extensive and impressive vocabulary of words that no proper noble would have an inkling of. Despite her obviously exquisite features (Keigo's words, not his of course), she was as scrawny as a brat – and lacking in the breast endowment department. For someone who carried herself with poise and grace, Kuchiki Rukia could kick, hit, and even bite like a normal shinigami. Hell, with he was even tempted to think that she'd fit in the 11th division better than with the 13th.

That or Kuchiki Rukia was a damn good actress. It was unnerving to see her change personas easily – like donning on a haori to personify a wide-eyed boy, to a crazy harpy; and now as a cold and unfeeling noblewoman.

Stealing a glance, he saw Kuchiki Rukia gingerly try the food. She did seem hungry to him, but he was amused to find her holding on to her famed poise and ate the food slowly. These nobles were probably trained to starve gracefully and eat slowly since young.

Rukia looked longingly at the jug of water, unaware that she was under the scrutiny of someone. Oh, how she wanted to parch her thirst with the cool liquid! As her hands slowly inched to it, she remembered her Nii-sama.

"_Rukia, remember your dignity."_

Her hands recoiled back hurriedly, as if she was burnt.

"_Rukia, remember not to show your weakness."_

She had no choice. Stifling a disappointed sigh, Rukia took the goblet of Kurosaki taicho and wiped it with a napkin thoroughly. She even used the moisture sticking to the jug to dampen the cloth and use it to further clean the goblet. Finally, when she was convinced that it was clean enough, Rukia poured water into it and drank as slowly as she could.

"Kurosaki taicho." She whispered. "Kurosaki taicho."

Ichigo pretended to ignore her. He really was curious what this woman was up to.

"Kurosaki taicho… I need some blankets."

The only response was a slight snore.

Rukia sighed. Great, the bastard was out like a light. All she wanted was a blanket; it was cold, and unless he wanted her to suffer from an illness, she needed cover.

Maybe… she could **borrow** one from him? Lord knows; he had many blankets, its not like he'd miss one. Right?

"Kurosaki taicho?" she asked out quietly as she slowly stepped near his beddings. "I just need a blanket, okay?" she asked again "Don't wake up, you hear?"

As her hand closed around the nearest blanket, an arm shot out to grab her wrist. It took all of Rukia's discipline to stop herself from screaming out loud in fright. She was pulled down to the pallet beside the taicho.

If he thought that she'd take this one lying down, he had one thing coming. Rukia lashed out, trying to claw as much of him as she could reach.

Ichigo became alert. "Stop it!" he hissed as he dragged her down beside her.

"Let me go, you scum! Let me go this instant!" Rukia said angrily. "If you think that, me being your captive would give you any right to take advantage of me –

"Who'd want to take advantage of you, bitch?" Ichigo retorted desperately. "Do you honestly think that your noble bones can handle the hard ground?" he added sarcastically. "You better be grateful I'm letting you sleep here!"

"I'd rather die!"

Ichigo shoved the blankets on top of the squirming Rukia. "Not an option, midget; now sleep." He commanded. "We leave at first light."

"Touch me and you die!"

"Not even with a ten-foot pole!"

Rukia resisted the urge to shriek as she felt Ichigo's hand go around her waist.

"PERVERT!" she hissed, trying to get the offending appendage away from her body. "You said that you wouldn't touch me!"

However, Ichigo was definitely stronger and his arm stayed where they were.

"Listen here, midget." He said, unadorned.

"Its not like I WANT to touch you – I just don't want you to get the opportunity to sneak out and get killed by my sentries." At the disbelieving look in her eyes, he added, "Jeez woman, you're hardly someone who'd inspire mind-clouding lust!"

Rukia bit back the urge to snap back at him and BITE off his nose to remove that smug look in his face.

"Kurosaki taicho," she said calmly, in a "I'm-a-noble-you're-not" tone, "I hope you die in your sleep – painfully. I'm looking forward to see your dead body stretched out in the morning."

"I wish you'd grow taller and have breasts, midget; but unfortunately, we can't always get what we want." He snarled back.

Rukia clamped back a shout of frustration as she shut her eyes and willed herself to sleep.…

…

…

_There was a lot of blood. There was always a lot of blood._

_Nine year-old Kurosaki Ichigo slowly made his way down the steps. Where was his father? Did he return from his division already? Where was his mother? She was supposed to be sleeping or waiting for his father in the upstairs parlor._

_Everything was dark…_

_Where was his mother? Was his father home already? Ichigo's heart was hammering in his chest. The castle was quiet… too quiet. There were supposed to be guards posted by the staircase, and Ichigo knew they never missed a shift. It was supposed to be Arai-san and Noda-san tonight. But where were they?_

_Suddenly, Ichigo stopped as he stepped on a pool of liquid. Blood…_

…

…

…

Ichigo's eyes flew open.

Damn, he was almost had by that nightmare. For more than 10 years, every time he slept, he had been plagued with scenes of his mother's death. Sometimes it was hazy and blurry, other times it was clear as crystal. The events were often different, yet the end was always the same: his mother was dead.

And he could always see Aizen.

Frowning, Ichigo wondered just why he didn't see Aizen this time. In fact, he hardly finished the dream or even got to the part where he saw his mother's bloodied body.

Feeling something press against him, Ichigo turned.

Kuchiki Rukia.

She was curled up on her side; her body pressed against his; and her head pillowed on his arm.

The rumors were merely exaggerations: the woman was not perfect. She didn't sleep like a princess, lying gracefully on her back with arms folded on her stomach like in the folktales. In fact, she slept like an annoying pest. Rukia's limbs were everywhere. One hand held the front of his shinigami robes in a fist; another was thrown across his stomach, curling around his middle. And her leg, it was over his, her knee wedged between his thighs…

God, she felt very warm.

It was still dark, but moonbeams were able to seep through a gap in the half-closed flap of the tent. It washed over them silently, like a silver mantle. Against it, Rukia's skin took on a sheen that lent her an ethereal look.

Ichigo tried to move away, but Rukia wriggled uncomfortably and made a slight disapproving sound before she wrapped her arm tightly around him.

"This is a compromising position, midget." Ichigo thought wearisomely. If Kuchiki taicho ever heard about this, his guts would be spilled in front of the Central 46 court, no questions asked.

Deciding that he needed to pass the time before waking her up (Ichigo figured Rukia still had about 20 minutes of rest left), Ichigo took the time to study her face up close.

Rukia's lashes fluttered for a moment, but she did not wake up. Strange, he thought her lashes were long, but not this long. Nobody had lashes like that – long and curved like feathered fans.

In her sleep, the ice-princess looked relaxed and unguarded, strangely innocent rather than intimidating. Her slightly parted lips looked petal-soft, and for a moment Ichigo wondered –

No, he was NOT going there.

Her dark hair was strewn all over, but it was soft and it didn't tangle. Ichigo permitted himself to take a few strands between two fingers and just feel it. He was curious – nothing more, nothing less.

Why was it that despite riding like hell was after her heels, Kuchiki Rukia still had that flowery scent on her?

Was it jasmine?

Whoa, Kurosaki Ichigo told himself harshly, that you do not go about smelling captives – not even if they were intriguing nobles like this one. You have a reputation, remember?

Yeah, he was Seiretei's resident badass taicho.

Indeed he was, but at that moment, he saw that Rukia's robe was slightly parted at the top and looking down he could see the faint glimmer of fair skin that he was sure of to be smooth and –

No. Shit. Think bloodbath; think 11th division… Kenpachi Taicho – yeah the demented man was hounding him for a battle to the death for a while now. Maybe his fukutaicho, the small monster of pinkness Yachiru… that was enough to make anyone shudder in fear. Honestly, that young girl was crazy as hell like her father. Perhaps that creepy Mayuri Taicho from the 12th who had bizarre 'medical and scientific' experiments and was always dropping by saying that he was feeling magnanimous enough to give him and his division anal probes. Come to think of it, he was hovering near Ishida recently.

Fucking gross.

Suddenly, Rukia gave a start. If Ichigo thought he was lucky that she would wake up, or at least move, he was greatly mistaken. In fact, she even snuggled close, the movement making her leg ride up higher.

Ichigo stiffened. Any moment now, her knee would touch a part that she should not touch, because if she did Ichigo would not be liable for any untoward thing that would happen.

"Damn you." He whispered harshly.

What did he do to deserve this?

…

…

…

Kuchiki Rukia was always an early riser. Thus, when she slowly felt the world come into focus, it was of no surprise to her that it was still quite dark. It was probably around 5 in the morning or so, she reasoned.

What surprised her was that her bed seemed different. The mattress was harder and the trademark Kuchiki silk covers were conspicuously absent. Most importantly, the pillow she was using was hard and… warm… Groggily, Rukia snuggled closer, tightening her hold on the pillow.

To her surprise, the pillow stiffened. Was that even possible? "Five more… minutes." She mumbled sleepily. Just five more minutes and she would wake up to face the dreaded day. Five more minutes and she would have to face Nii-san and the Kuchiki tasks and responsibilities that were hers.

"Take your time." A disgruntled voice said out of the blue.

Huh? Was that her Nii-sama? But Nii-sama would NEVER say anything remotely like that. Especially not in THAT tone. It was a no-no to let emotions show.

So who was the owner of that voice?

As Rukia drew in a deep, shuddering breath, she quickly realized a few things.

One: She was not on a bed in her room, but on a pallet in a tent.

Two: Her Nii-sama was out in the front lines of Hueco Mundo, fighting the Arrancar that he could not possibly be the one waking her up.

Three: She was not wearing her standard-issue Kuchiki-trademark noblewoman nightclothes and was instead donned in a simple pair of gi and hakama – of which the top of her robe was gaping open.

Four: She was **not** reclining on a pillow.

Quickly, Rukia sprang up to a sitting position, only to see the red-faced and scowling Taicho of the 14th division, Kurosaki Ichigo.

To her mortification, her hand was fisted on his robes and… oh god, half of her body was between his legs!

"PERVERT!" she shouted, raising a hand to cast a destructive kido spell to blow him into bits. "PERVERT!" Rukia struggled, trying to claw his eyes and scratch as much of him as she could. No one was allowed to take advantage of a Kuchiki; and if anyone tried, there would be hell to pay.

"Shut it, will you!" Hissed Ichigo, grabbing hold of Rukia's hand before she could do any damage. Unfortunately, the enraged noble was thrashing and shouting that Ichigo feared his men rushing in and discovering their compromising position. When that happened, not even Yoruichi could outrun the speed of the rumors that would fly all over Seiretei. Once word reaches the people he took pains to avoid (like his father), it was the end game for him.

Immediately, Ichigo moved so fast, it seemed like shuunpo. He pulled Rukia back to the pallet. In a flash, she was pinned beneath him. With one hand, he covered her mouth carefully to stop her from shouting. The other held back her arms over her head, and his legs trapped her legs to prevent her from hitting him.

Angrily, Rukia glared at him, her eyes wide and furious.

"Get a grip, midget." He hissed. "You were the one who grabbed me like a depraved pervert." Seeing her disbelieving look, he frowned even more. "Do you honestly think that I intended to assault you? If I did you would be awake and a willing participant!"

He was really in big trouble. Ichigo willed himself to stay calm and make sure that the noble listen to his reasoning. "I don't do that kind of shit, you hear? I repeat what I said last night – You don't inspire mind-clouding lust." He stressed, leaning down to make sure she got it all.

Suddenly the flap of the tent opened. "Kurosaki –

Ishida stopped in his tracks.

Both Ichigo and Rukia stiffened in surprise and horror. They knew just how compromising the entire tableaux looked from another person's point of view. If the slight reddening of the fukutaicho's face was any indication, he drew the same conclusion.

The bespectacled fukutaicho cleared his throat. "I'll be back shortly – when you two are less… occupied."

Ichigo started to open his mouth to say something, anything, when he felt a sharp pain on his groin. With a grimace, his grip slackened and he fell off the pallet unceremoniously. "What the fuck… you… bitch…" he muttered.

When he opened his squinting eyes, the young Taicho saw a pair of violet eyes glaring at him in contempt. "I hope you won't be able to sire more perverts." Rukia said grimly.

Ichigo was seriously contemplating the idea of killing her instead.

…

…

…

Keigo was sending his Taicho sly looks that would soon be the death of him yet. Thanks to the nosy Ishida, his high-ranking subordinates all thought that he and the captive had something going on. The snickers coming from Tatsuki was the worst.

As for the mentioned Kuchiki noblewoman, she was glaring at him like he was the most degenerate pervert in existence. The way Inoue was sending him frightened yet disbelieving glances once in a while only confirmed his initial hypothesis.

"We'll use shunpo now." Sado spoke finally. The horses, though important, were only used to carry supplies, and they only brought less than 20 with them. "Get all belongings and leave the horses."

Rukia looked at Inoue.

"Er… Ishida-san…" Inoue ventured. "Why do you leave the horses?"

"They'll only slow us down. Besides, we already made arrangements regarding the care of the horses."

"But I can't shunpo…"

Ishida turned a bit to the side, so the other wouldn't see a light blush blooming across his face. "Don't worry about it; I'll take you."

"Let's just hope to heaven he'll keep his hands to himself." Rukia muttered angrily as Mizuiro helped her off the stallion. "There are far too many perverts in Seiretei nowadays." She added venomously, giving the orange-haired Taicho a glare that was positively icy.

"Don't be delusional, midget." Snarled Ichigo as he stepped closer to her, making sure that her hands remained bound. "No pervert, even if he was desperate, would want to grope you."

"Could have fooled me."

"Che. So you forgot that you grabbed me in the middle of the night?"

Rukia gaped at him "That did NOT happen!" She said hotly. Then she stepped back as Ichigo reached out to her. Unfortunately, he was faster, and he was able to hold her by her arm. His scowling face was the last thing she saw once he decided to shunpo.

"How much do you bet that there's attraction between those two?" Keigo said, nudging Mizuiro slyly.

…

…

…

Rukia soon found herself in the middle of the 14th division. Strangely, compared to the others, the place was full. It was obvious that Kurosaki Taicho did not send men out in the front lines to assist the other divisions in the war against the Arrancars. It was a blatant disregard of wartime command from the Soutaicho, wasn't it?

Before she could even point it out to Ichigo, she spotted one of the shinighami carrying her zanpaktuo. She felt her heart constrict as Sode no Shirayuki was separated from her. It was then that the heavy implications of the recent events hit her.

She, Kuchiki Rukia, sister of Kuchiki Taicho, was a captive of Kurosaki Ichigo. It was no secret that the orange-head man was at loggerheads with her brother, but they were fairly civil enough with each other when they met during Taicho meetings at the 1st division. Another thing that bothered her was the fact that Kurosaki Ichigo had an unhealthy dislike for Aizen Taicho. Which was confusing enough for Rukia, since her betrothed was a kind-hearted and just man.

In due time, Rukia knew that she would find out about it. She eyed the surrounding structures warily. Somewhere in here was a torture chamber with her name written in it. If the barbarian thought that she would give him the satisfaction of begging for her life – he was sorely mistaken.

"I'll have Tatsuki show you to your room."

"What?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo looked at her like she was crazy. "Your room, Kuchiki Rukia. Are you saying you want to stay outside?"

Surprise made her blurt out. "Aren't you going to throw me in the dungeon?"

Ichigo seemed surprised and a bit appalled. "You WANT me to throw you in a dungeon?" he asked incredulously.

"Aren't I your prisoner, Kurosaki Taicho? Don't you think that I might escape?"

"Look around you and see, Kuchiki." He said smugly. "If you can even try to get out."

Rukia obliged him and looked around. Though there was nothing spectacular about the fortress (Aizen Taicho's division had thicker layers of walls than this), but she could somehow detect the high-level kido shields that were used. Aside from that, the shinigami that patrolled the perimeter were numerous and terribly alert.

She guessed that each one was paranoid as hell.

"The sentries are there without fail, Kuchiki." Ichigo said. "The fortress is not left unguarded even for a second."

Yes. They were as paranoid as their Taicho.

"Tatsuki. Oi, bring her to her room." Ichigo called out. As his 4th seat appeared, he gave Rukia an appraising look. "Use the suite at the Eastern wing; heaven help us if we put her in an ill-furnished one."

Rukia said nothing; nor did her face betray emotion. Thus, it was a surprise when she kicked Ichigo on his shin.

"Midget bitch!" he shouted furiously.

Tatsuki laughed unabashedly as she walked their prisoner to the large manor that was the Kurosaki residence. "Good going there." She said enthusiastically, "Serves that idiot well if he was standing around with his guard down."

Rukia said nothing as they made their way indoors. Curious, she glanced around, taking note of the home of Kurosaki Taicho. Surprisingly, everything was in good taste. It seemed unbelievable that a boor of the first degree like him had a home like this.

Unlike her home, the Kurosaki manor was filled with cozy furnishings. The light-colored drapes were pulled back, showing large windows that allowed sunlight to stream in. the small yet noticeable touches of feminine influence like a crystal vase of flowers for instance, made the place warm and inviting.

As they went up the curving grand stairway, Rukia took note of the tasteful furnishings. Surely, the Kurosaki manor could have easily been a venue for countless gatherings and celebrations. She had heard that the former Taicho came from a low-ranked, albeit outrageously weird noble clan. As Tatsuki led her to a well-lit corridor, they passed a life-size portrait of a woman that was so enchanting, that Rukia stopped in her tracks.

"That's Kurosaki Masaki-sama. Ichigo Taicho's mother."

Rukia blinked. Upon close inspection, she realized that it was a definite possibility, as the lady in question had orange-y tresses and sparkling amber eyes. Apparently, the idiot Taicho also inherited his mother's lips. Okay, maybe he scowled a lot, but it would take a blind person to completely miss the fact that Kurosaki Ichigo had great-looking features.

Wait. What was she doing? Mentally, Rukia gave herself a shake and averted her line of thought before she ended up blushing and embarrassing herself. "She's very beautiful."

Tatsuki nodded. "Indeed. She was the sunshine of the entire family – everyone in the division loved and respected her."

"Was?"

"She's been dead for a long time now."

Rukia was taken aback. "I'm sorry. How did she die?"

"Aizen taicho murdered her."

Whirling around, Rukia came face to face with a young girl. She had striking features that were set severely and she had hair that was as dark as hers. And she was looking at Rukia with thinly veiled contempt.

"Karin-san." Tatsuki said.

Karin looked at Tatsuki. "When did Ichi-nii get back?"

"Just now."

As Karin looked at her severely, Rukia schooled her expression into that of bored nonchalance. She figured that now was not the time to defend her betrothed's honor – not when the other girl was looking furious enough to retaliate.

Why was it that Kurosaki Karin believed that Aizen Taicho killed her mother? Could it have been a case of misunderstanding or was there someone who made it seem that way?

Tatsuki cleared her throat. "Karin-san, this is Kuchiki –

"I know." Karin said dismissively. "Ichi-nii said he'll bring her here; I never doubted him." She then looked at the older noble up and down. "Eh? I expected you to be taller. I can't believe you're at my height – and I'm still growing. You're not even THAT pretty."

If she was hoping to provoke Rukia, she never got any satisfaction from it. The other was clearly more versed in the art of not caring as well as having perfected the science of keeping one's silence.

"Che." Said Karin in contempt. "I'll be going Tatsuki; make sure nothing happens to her. She's no good to us dead." With that, Ichigo's sister walked away.

As the other girl left, Tatsuki stole a glance at Kuchiki Rukia. As expected, she showed no outer reaction to the outburst. She was calm and composed and her was not hand shaking in any way to show agitation. True to the Ice Princess moniker, there was nothing in her that betrayed her thoughts. Without another word, Tatsuki opened the door to the captive's room. "Please step inside, Kuchiki-san; I'll have someone bring you food."

…

…

…

Wearily, Ichigo set himself comfortably on a heavily cushioned chair in his library. As much as he wanted to go to his division office to check on his men, he opted to stay at home for a while. Karin and Yuzu would be pleased to have him back. Plus, he had a captive to watch over. He wasn't sure if his men were capable enough of matching their wits with Kuchiki Rukia.

He glanced at the table laden with food. Despite feeling somewhat hungry, he couldn't bring himself to eat the meal. His muscles ached too much to move and it was too early for dinner anyway.

"Shall I send word for the crafty old man?" Mizuiro asked hesitantly, careful not to say much.

Within the small circle of trusted people, 'crafty old man' was the tag that Ichigo made to mention his exiled godfather without attracting attention. Urahara Kisuke, probably the most brilliant scientist Seiretei has ever seen. However, it was his addiction to pursue knowledge that caused him to get into trouble with the higher-ups. And he was lucky enough to have been given a far-easier sentence than death. It was with Urahara that Ichigo turned to for guidance when making important and covert plans, seeing that his father (or anyone in the family) was not someone he wanted to involve. This was just a precaution should Urahara's suggestions lead him to the same situation as he was in.

At this Ichigo groaned. "Let the cat out of the bag." This was the code used to signify the relay of the message to his former shunpo mentor, Yoruichi; the only being in Seiretei who can successfully contact the wayward Urahara.

His godfather never let him down yet, but this time, Ichigo was wondering if following his suggestion was really prudent. True enough, he was able to capture Kuchiki Rukia while her brother and most of the Taichos were out in the frontlines of Hueco Mundo. But when word gets out – Ichigo was sure that it won't take long before the 2nd division spies discover what he did – he was really in danger of facing an inquisition for acting dishonorably. Urahara was confident that once his former allies would receive his message regarding Aizen's treachery, they would vouch for him in the council. However, Ichigo had no idea who they were so he would be unable to speak with them before the whole issue blows up.

As Mizuiro left, Ishida turned to face him. "Kurosaki, is it true that Kuchiki Rukia-san is a shinigami?"

"You're going to have to tell her Taicho about Aizen, if you want him on your side." Sado spoke quietly.

"I suggest you do it now." Ishida added. "Who knows who Aizen would fool this time into believing that you acted without initial reason." He cautioned. "I would bet that if he learns you have his betrothed, Ukitake Taicho will be among the first he'll go to."

Keigo snorted. "Never mind that; have you figured a way to convince Kuchiki Taicho not to kill you? You have his sister, remember."

Ichigo felt his head ache.

"Are you sure we can trust Urahara?" Ishida persisted. "He gave you initial instructions about the other Taichos, but not about Kuchiki Taicho."

"Don't worry, he'll help us figure out the next step of plan. He said so. I trust him, Ishida." Ichigo said heavily. "Granted, he is the most dodgy man I have ever met –

"He had ideas that almost killed you, and US." Added Keigo.

"- But there was reason father and mother trusted him, so –

"Your mother's dead and your father isn't exactly a model parent, is he not?" Keigo interrupted again.

Ichigo gave his subordinate a glare that could make any strong man piss himself in his hakama several times over. "Urahara has never led us to our deaths before. Besides, I wouldn't ask for his help if I can do it on my own." The thing was, Urahara made him swear that he would do EVERYTHING he was instructed even before he complied with the request for assistance. It really was suspicious, but Ichigo was left with no choice but to comply. If that perverted man was somehow mistaken in his calculations… "I'm fairly certain we can hatch an escape plan in time."

Ishida shook his head.

Suddenly, Tatsuki appeared. "She's already settled in her room. Karin met her though – told her about Aizen."

Ichigo looked up, alert, "What happened?"

"It was nothing." Tatsuki shrugged dismissively. "Kuchiki-san just stood there like a block of ice and said nothing. I'm not sure what her reaction was – if she believed it or she was angered – she had a great poker face if you ask me."

"That wasn't a poker face, it was a Kuchiki glare." Keigo said. "I'm not sure how she'll take it though, Ichigo Taicho."

Ichigo gave Keigo a hard and angry look. "I don't particularly care – as long as Aizen comes around to show his bastard face." With that he reached out for a bite to eat, but winced as the pain magnified. Maybe he moved too much too early on. "Ishida, why is it that you can prance around when just yesterday you were beaten black and blue?"

His fukutaicho shrugged. "I do NOT prance, Kurosaki. If you must know, Inoue-san is proficient with healing. She has this weird and mysterious ability to heal wounds and aches."

"Where is she now?" Ichigo asked, thinking about his wounded subordinates.

"Surprisingly, she's treating your men as we speak." Ishida said coolly, yet with a hint of admiration and wonder in his voice. "Inoue-san seems totally unconcerned that she's here, a captive."

Tatsuki helped herself to the rice. "Well, now we know just how important Inoue is to the 6th division. No wonder Kuchiki-san wants her returned."

"Are you going to check on Kuchiki-san, Ichigo Taicho?" Sado asked, looking at the other man.

Ichigo shook his head. "I need my rest before I deal with a spitfire like that."

Keigo smirked in a decidedly perverted way. "Oho! So you 'deal' with Kuchiki-san, don't you?"

Ichigo's reply was a glare.

…

…

…

"_See, Rukia-san, all you need to do is focus your mind's eye; this will allow the kido spell to take full effect."_

_Rukia nodded, signifying that she understood. "I'm very sorry if it took me this long to –_

"_Nonsense. So far, I have not seen anyone who learned high level kido spells in a flash like you do." _

_The approving tone in his voice almost made Rukia smile. Well, she figured it was all right to, so she did give him a genuine smile. "I'm sure you're partial only because I am you betrothed, Aizen-Sama."_

_Aizen Sosuke gave her a smile in return. "I would never, Rukia-san; I was telling the truth. If you ask me, I think you're highly suited for the Kido Corps."_

_Standing up, Rukia nodded. "Thank you for visiting, Aizen-sama, despite your occupied schedule."_

_Aizen stood up as well. "I would appreciate it if you call me Sosuke, Rukia-san – especially in private. Please remember that when I stand in front of you it is not as a Taicho, but as a man – your future spouse."_

"_Then I shall indulge you when we are but alone." Rukia said without a blush or embarrassment on her face. "A pleasant evening, Sosuke-sama."_

_As she turned to go back indoors, she felt his hand hold hers. Rukia turned to face him, her expression serene yet encouraging. This man was to be her husband, surely she could be allowed to somewhat drop the façade? "Is there anything you wished to say, Sosuke-sama?"_

"_There is nothing much I wish to say…" he said quietly as he raised Rukia's hand to be brushed by his lips fleetingly. "Only that I wanted to take the liberty to bid you goodnight properly." He peered down at her, his eyes strangely hidden by his glasses. "You grow lovelier by the day, Rukia."_

"_Goodnight." She whispered back._

As her eyes fluttered open, Rukia went still as she remembered the dream. Aizen Taicho was a kind and respectable person. Everyone spoke of his virtues highly and he was considered to be a good catch despite him being older than her.

Rukia sat up on the large bed in the Kurosaki manor, pulling the silken sheets closer to her small frame. She remembered seeing him for the first time, when her Nii-sama was promoted as captain, forty years ago. The Taicho was kind and polite to her, offering to help advance her kido skills after saying that she had potential. If she wasn't guarding her every movement, Rukia would have smiled in delight as someone of his stature and caliber acknowledging her. The conversation turned from kido spells to other topics that were intellectually stimulating. Rukia felt proud that she was able to hold conversation with him without boring the taicho as she initially feared.

As agreed upon, Rukia's time was divided from reporting to her division and training with the taicho of the 5th. It was with Aizen that she found another mentor like Ukitate Taicho. Under the training of the two, Rukia slowly developed her abilities and gained confidence. For years, Rukia's skill with kido was honed carefully. Though kept in secret (in deference to the fact that she was still unranked for mysterious reasons), her proficiency was considered to be fukutaicho level.

As a teacher, Aizen was patient with her progress; yet he made no secret of his expectations of her because of her lineage and her potential. This expectation only served to spur Rukia into doing better and better each day, taking pains to learn everything even in the dead of the night. She made sure to study an hour after waking up and an hour before going to bed as an extra effort outside the usual training regimen. Her efforts payed off, Ukitake taicho was sending her to more and more missions after two years, encouraging her to train harder, be ranked as an officer, and achieve bankai. Nii-sama said nothing, but he occasionally said that he was somewhat pleased with her progress. Aizen Taicho just smiled and said that he was proud of her as he patted her on the head.

Thirty-nine years after she meet Aizen Sosuke in the library of the Kuchiki manor, Byakuya received an offer of marriage for his sister from the man who trained her in improving kido.

"It can't be." Rukia muttered to herself. "It can't be true." There was no way Aizen Sosuke was a monster as Kurosaki Karin painted him to be. What if it was a frame-up or a misunderstanding?

What if it was true?

Rukia shivered. Burrowing back into the warmth of the bed, Rukia pondered on how to go about unearthing the mystery behind the reason she was brought here. Tomorrow. When she finally got a decent night of sleep.

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's Corner**:

To avoid confusion, I would like to stress that I only added a few things in this AU fic. I hope that people would not be confused that just because Ichigo was a captain at 20 that he is quite young. This is Soul Society, which means that they can age without looking old just like in the manga.

I have also received various queries about the previous chapter; I hope that this one somewhat answers them without giving away future chapters.

Once again, thank you to my wonderful beta and online father, Kaya for putting up with me and my weird twists in thinking. I also dedicate this chapter to my e-mom, 07Janina07, as well as my e-sister CooWings. If anyone wants to be my e-godparent, feel free to let my e-parents know.


	3. Chapter 3

Heart's Desire Chapter 3 By C. LeShay 

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, IshiHime, Byakuya, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13) and the vaizards, quincy, and everyone else. The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_It can't be." Rukia muttered to herself. "It can't be true." There is no way Aizen Sosuke was a monster as Kurosaki Karin painted him to be. What if it was a frame-up or a misunderstanding?_

_What if it wasn't? _

_Rukia shivered. Burrowing back into the warmth of the bed, she pondered on how to go about unearthing the mystery behind the reason she was brought here. _

_Tomorrow. When she finally got a decent night of sleep._

…

…

…

"Rukia-san!" Inoue cried out as she ran to her friend.

With approval of Kurosaki Taicho, the two women were finally allowed to meet each other and talk. Inoue's face was alight with happiness. "I'm glad to see that you're okay."

"Same to you, Inoue." Rukia replied. It was embarrassing to say it out, but she was worried about what might happen to her gentle friend. "Did they treat you well?"

Inoue smiled, "Oh yes, they were very kind, Rukia-san. Especially Ishida fukutaicho."

"Really?" she asked, hiding a smile of her own. It was quite obvious to her that the fukutaicho of the 14th division was besotted with the sunny and kind-hearted Inoue. "And I suppose Ishida fukutaicho kept you company?" she teased.

Without surprise, she saw her friend blush ten shades of red that was more than the color of Abarai Renji's hair.

"He brought me books to read." Inoue said shyly. "He even asked Arisawa-san to bring me a change of clothing as well." She added, referring to her new attire; a green kimono with white petals embroidered in it. Happily, she noted that her noblewoman friend was wearing a new change of clothes as well, though the design seemed more suited for someone younger "I was thinking of cooking him something as a thank you gift…"

A flash of mischief flared in Rukia's eyes. "Never mind Ishida, give it to Kurosaki Taicho."

"Eh?"

Rukia nodded emphatically "Well, it is HIS order that we're being treated fairly. Besides, he hasn't ordered us tortured yet. It's only fitting that you give him your specialty dishes as thanks."

There was a moment of hesitation before Inoue smiled brightly. "You know what? You're absolutely right, Rukia-san! We have to show our appreciation to Kurosaki Taicho!" the busty woman stood in an enthusiastic pose, one hand on her waist, and the other fisted in the air. "I'll have to send him my curried chicken and wasabi-miso ramen! Of course, because it's my special dish, I'll have to make my red bean choco-custard bread topped with jelly and deviled eggs for dessert."

"Exactly." Said Rukia "But it would be better if you don't tell him what it is – because it's a surprise."

There was no stopping Inoue now. She had a fire ablaze in her eyes as she imagined presenting the dish to the Taicho. Hopefully, he'd share it with Ishida. "Yes! I can do it! I will do it!" Quickly, she turned to her friend. "Excuse me, Rukia-san; I have to prepare."

"By all means, Inoue." Rukia said graciously. "Who am I to hinder such a culinary endeavor? You may proceed." She barely held on to her composure as Inoue curtsied to her and dashed off to find the kitchen.

"Take that, you orange-haired bastard". Rukia thought in approval. If Inoue's cooking doesn't kill you… probably nothing will. Rukia repressed a shudder as she remembered the first time she got a 'sample' of Inoue's food. If it wasn't for her discipline, she probably would have keeled over and thrown up everything. Fortunately, she was able to give her friend a smile for her efforts.

Then she made sure Inoue never set foot into the kitchens again.

Now alone, Rukia wondered if she could be allowed to the gardens, or if she was confined only to the manor. Was no one assigned to look after her? Rukia was tempted to think that she can use that to her advantage to escape, but that required long planning.

Yes, Inoue would provide a welcome distraction for both the Taicho and the fukutaicho. As well as whoever was invited to partake in the meal she was planning to make. Should the household erupt in chaos, Kuchiki Rukia will be there to take advantage.

Rukia decided to head off to the gardens anyway. She was sure that Kurosaki Taicho needed her alive; so if she was prohibited to leave the manor, well, the worst that could happen was that he'd blister her with scathing comments.

With that in mind, Rukia went on, hoping not to meet up with anyone along the way.

As she walked to her destination, Rukia chanced upon a man who was seated under the shade of a tree, reading something. He didn't look like a shinigami, as he was wearing a rather plain yukata and he was barefoot.

"Yo!" the man greeted her.

Rukia stopped abruptly. "Good morning." She said simply, looking back at him to see why he was talking to her.

"Nice day, is it not?"

There was a pause. "Yes."

The man stood up and walked towards her. "You don't look that pleased with the weather."

Rukia blinked at his audacity to treat her with familiarity. "It's a fair weather." She conceded, wishing that he would stop the chitchat. Unfortunately, her current status made it seem ridiculous to her to ask him to shut up and let her enjoy the peace. So she just gave him a cool glance; she was a Kuchiki after all.

The man peered at her closely. "So… You married yet?" he asked excitedly, looking at her up and down.

"Excuse me?" aghast at the nerve of the man, Rukia forgot to give him a glare and instead just gaped at him in disbelief.

Realizing her train of thought, the man laughed in embarrassment. "Oh NO, I'm in love with my dear wife, departed she may be! I was just thinking that if an enchanting, graceful, and beautiful lady as you is still eligible –

"I'm afraid I'm spoken for." Rukia interrupted dismissively, "I will be wed soon, as a matter-of-fact."

"But you're not married yet." He persisted, smiling like a crazed maniac "How would you like to marry my son? He's rich, he's strong; good-looking – but not as handsome as me, of course – but he's got that look that makes girls swoon…"

Rukia raised an eyebrow at the rambling. Try as she may be, this old geezer was not really as annoying as she wanted him to be. Raised in the Kuchiki household, Rukia was never given the opportunity to interact with people below their station. Even those who came from nobility were treated with polite indifference. Her servants were allowed to be so familiar with her. When she got to her division, it only got worse. A noble such as herself was discouraged to talk to them unless necessary and the other shinigami were too intimidated to open up to her as well.

She never wanted to admit it, but Rukia was hoping for some degree of familiarity with others.

"-Well, he's not exactly a ladies' man, you know, but my son has this magnetic ability to attract females! I say he got it from me. Didn't hurt that his mama was the most beautiful creation ever made…"

"That's nice to hear sir, but I'm afraid I'm not eligible for your son." Rukia said, giving him a hesitant smile. The man was such a stage father, she could only wonders how smothered with attention his son was.

"You have a beautiful smile." The man said quietly and seriously. "You should smile more often. You look more arresting with a sunny face that a cold façade."

Rukia couldn't help herself, she gasped.

"Well," he said chirpily, changing behavior in an instant. "If you decide to leave that man you're going to marry, let me know. I'll send a matchmaker to you so you can meet with my son. I'll be just here, among the flowers of these wonderful gardens." The man bent and gave her an exaggerated bow. "I hope to meet such an angelic vision once more!!!!!!"

"But… that's not going to happen…"

"Oh?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "If there's anything I've learned, being alive for many centuries and all, is that life has a way of settling things."

"Perhaps." Rukia finally said to placate the man.

It did the trick. "Excellent! Now I'm off to find that wayward fruit of my loins and tell him I just met a woman that can give his mother a run for her money in looks!"

Rukia couldn't help it but smiled at the flattery. She returned the other's enthusiastic wave awkwardly as the man decided to head off somewhere else.

"See you soon, Rukia-chan!!!!!"

Whoever that weird man was, he sure was funny. She wondered if everyone in the division knew that she was already here. The way the man was acting, they probably did. Well, it was expected. Who would not gloat over the fact that Kuchiki Taicho, the most popular Taicho in all of Seiretei had his district breached and his castle seiged? Not to mention the fact that the ice princess herself, his sister, was captured. The gossip mills will be having a field day.

As she walked on, another distraction appeared, this time in the form of frenzied screaming.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"

"Bostafu! Come back!!!!! You need to be washed!!!!!!!!!!!"

Turning around, Rukia was able to see in time, a yellow thing hurl towards her – aimed towards her chest. Nimbly, she stepped aside, avoiding collision. The yellow thing crashed onto the ground.

"Please, stop it!" the owner of the voice called out, a young lady as tall as she was.

On reflex, Rukia lifted her foot and caught something under it. Upon closer inspection, she found out that it was a lion plushie whose tail was now caught beneath her.

There was a mild breeze and it whipped the hem of her kimono slightly. Suddenly, the plushie turned around and gave her a cheeky smile. "I can see your legs, nee-san!"

"Way of destruction –

"Nee-chan!" The girl called out as she finally reached them. "Thank you for holding Bostafu for me." She said, bowing before grabbing the plushie. "I'm sorry if he bothered you."

"Don't call me BOSTAFU!" the plushie hollered angrily as he was lifted from the ground. "How many times do I have to tell you – my name is KON! Okay, so I didn't like the name, but you can't go around changing my name when I just got used to it!"

"Alright, Kon. Now, let's go wash you up."

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You'll dress me up like a pansy!!!!!!!!!!!"

The young girl laughed for a while. "I promise not to do it, Kon. You should have said you didn't want it earlier." The girl turned to Rukia and smiled, taking notice of the yellow kimono for the first time. "Oh, so you were the one who needed something else to wear; I'm glad my kimono fits you."

The bastard Taicho made her wear a child's clothing?!

Rukia was fuming inwardly. No wonder she got weird looks earlier. It might have been because of the dress that her glare was not working with the old geezer previously. By all the gods in heaven, Rukia swore that Kurosaki Ichigo will pay dearly for this humiliation. His list of transgressions was piling up, one after the other. Inoue's cooking seemed too good as a punishment as of the moment.

Rukia gave the girl a cool stare that said nothing, hinted nothing.

To her credit, the younger one was unfazed. "I'm Kurosaki Yuzu by the way."

"Kuchiki Rukia."

Yuzu blinked and stay silent for the moment. Even the plushie Kon gave her a beady look before it placed a paw on Yuzu's arm protectively.

Utterly ridiculous; a Kuchiki never acted inappropriately even when directly provoked. Besides, did the idiotic plushie actually think that she was stupid enough to cause Kurosaki Yuzu pain while she herself was held in Kurosaki Taicho's division as hostage?

Giving the younger girl a dismissive look, Rukia turned around to continue her way to the gardens.

"I don't believe it…" Yuzu mumbled.

Instinctively, Rukia held herself up straighter. She would give Kurosaki Yuzu a chance to say things to her and she won't say anything back – at least she could gain insight at why they thought Aizen Taicho killed their mother. But if things turned violent, Rukia was going to defend herself; Kurosaki Taicho be damned. Slowly she turned to face a red-faced Yuzu.

"I can't believe Onii-chan didn't even get you a good dress! That's one of my less stylish kimonos and it's not fit for a grown woman!"

Rukia blinked.

"Mou." Yuzu pouted. "Men; trust them not to know anything about fashion!" Yuzu suddenly grabbed the Kuchiki noble by the arm. "Let's get you something else to wear. You're not going to join us have dinner wearing THAT!"

Bemused, Rukia looked at the girl. "Dinner?"

"Father says you and your friend should join us for dinner. They talked earlier when Orihime-san mentioned she was giving nii-chan a gift."

Oh god, if Kurosaki Taicho's father and sisters eat Inoue's cooking…

"Maybe we can have someone alter mother's old kimono; I'm sure Ishida-san will help us…"

As Rukia was led to the manor again, she wondered just how far her immunity would go after tonight's would-be dinner fiasco.

Carefully, Ichigo walked along the hallway. Careful not to make a noise, he crept into the dining hall as stealthily as he could. If he got ambushed …

"ICHIGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Only Ichigo's fast reflexes ensured that he survived having his face smashed into the back of his skull by his father's foot. "What the hell are you up to now, old man?"

"Heh. You're late." Kurosaki Isshin reprimanded as he grabbed the front of his son's haori and dragged him into the dining room. "You know that family diners are very sacred in our home, and you have the gall to show your mug late? How dare you worry my precious little Yuzu?"

"Shut it, will you?" Ichigo shouted. "I'm a Taicho. I'm a busy man. Hell, how could you NOT understand the scope of my responsibilities, when you had been one yourself?"

Isshin grabbed his son in a decidedly undignified headlock. For the life of him, Ichigo could not figure out how his father became a captain when he remembered that he was a lax and lazy shinigami who preferred to have fun than running his division.

"Heh." Isshin also shouted. "Like I was late for dinner before? I was never out so late that my family had to wait for me until the food got cold."

"You and I are not alike, old fool!"

"Do you two mind, we're starving here." Karin's irate voice grated out.

Grudgingly. Isshin released his hold on his son's orange hair before he headed to his seat at the head of the large table. The family was joined by Ichigo's seated officers.

"Well, why isn't Rukia-chan here yet?" Isshin asked petulantly.

"She's just changing her clothes." Yuzu explained, giving her brother a disapproving look.

Ichigo just ignored his sister.

Suddenly, the doors to the room were once again opened as Inoue Orihime arrived, carrying a tray of food. As the others looked on in confusion, she made her way across the room to stand behind Ichigo. "Taicho?" she asked tentatively. "Please accept this as thanks for the hospitality you have shown Rukia-san and I."

"Oho." Isshin chuckled as he watched the blushing girl hand him the tray. Well, Inoue Orihime was a really cute girl; plus she had a body any woman would die for – well, most women of course; personally, Isshin knew a couple of more women aside from his beloved Masaki who had such a spectacular physique.

"Er… Thanks." Ichigo said uncomfortably.

Ishida pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, but said nothing as the others laughed at his Taicho's discomfort.

Beside him, Keigo moaned "Taicho is SO lucky to have the attentions of the lovely Inoue-san!"

Whatever conversation Inoue's arrival might have led to, it was halted as Kuchiki Rukia herself stepped into the room.

The noblewoman stood quietly.

Ichigo noticed that she changed into a familiar-looking sapphire-colored kimono with a lemon-colored obi. Her raven tresses were brushed to a glossy sheen that fell about her shoulders softly. Her snowy complexion stood up even more, giving her a luminescence that had nothing to do with cosmetics.

She raised her violet eyes and meets his. Unabashedly, she held his stare with a curious one of her own. It was a look that could see through a person's soul. This was, without a doubt, the glance that lured men to drop to their knees and proclaim their undying adoration to her.

Despite his better judgment, Ichigo was forced to admit that it was a lethal distraction.

Strangely, regardless of the fact that she was the captive, it was him who was caught and overwhelmed in her presence.

"Ah! Rukia-chan, we meet again!" Isshin's enthusiastic voice boomed out, breaking the spell that held the two.

Rukia blinked back an exclamation of surprise as she saw the man she met earlier. Oh gods, THIS was Kurosaki Isshin? This was the former Taicho of the 14th division, known for his ruthlessness in battle and monstrous strength? If she had known her nii-sama to have a sense of humor, she would have thought that he was joking or exaggerating his stories about this man.

The son he was talking about was, Kurosaki Ichigo?

Rukia remembered hearing him say that his son is good-looking but not handsome. Though she would never admit it even at the pain of death, Kurosaki Ichigo was a man who carried an appeal that was noticeable. True, he had a weird hair color, but the orange hair was a beacon that drew attention. And when it did, one would be surprised to see defined and angular features that were very strong and masculine; amber eyes that was filled with tempered fire; thin yet well-shaped lips that were decidedly sensual –

Wait! Why was she thinking THAT way AGAIN?

Rukia contemplated in mortification as she tried to keep the urge to blush at bay. She had seen an assortment of men parade at her, all preening in the hopes of winning her hand. Most of them were good-looking. Even her betrothed Aizen Taicho was considered as striking by many. Her own division's Taicho, Ukitake-san was also a good-looking bachelor that was sought after by ladies. Heck, she even grew up in the presence of the incomparable Kuchiki Byakuya. So why she acted like she never was saw a handsome man before?

"Please, have a seat beside me." Isshin said happily, indicating the place that was directly across his son's. If anyone wondered why he sat her beside him than one of his daughters, they gave no indication to it. "I see that Ishida altered Masaki's favorite dress… Excellent! I'm thrilled to see it used once again."

Hesitantly, Rukia sat down. "Thank you for inviting me, Kurosaki-dono."

"My, my," Isshin tittered, "Why so formal, Rukia-chan? Call me uncle, it sound nicer." He nodded his approval at her attire, "I must say, you do look enchanting tonight, Rukia-chan."

"Thank you… uncle."

Smiling, Isshin turned to his son. "Well? Aren't you going to say something?"

Ichigo gave his father a death glare. "Let's eat? I'm starving." He said dryly as he grabbed his chopsticks.

Conversation start to flow as the servant brought out heaps of food on elaborate trays. Before Ichigo could get his meal, Isshin pushed the tray that Inoue gave him. "Nope." He said, waving the servant away. "You'll act like a proper host and eat the food that Inoue-chan painstakingly made for you. She's very excited to let you taste her specialty, so don't fail your saintly mother boy, and eat it all up."

Ichigo looked back longingly at the food that was taken away from him. His scowl was set in place as he came face to face with the weirdest-looking food that he had ever seen. Several chairs away from him, Inoue beamed appreciatively.

"I hope you like it, Taicho" the sunny girl chirped. "It's curried chicken on wasabi-miso ramen and red bean choco-custard bread topped with jelly and deviled eggs for your dessert."

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room before chopsticks were gripped tighter, and the others scrambled for the edible food placed on the table. No one wanted to try the 'specialty' of Inoue Orihime. They would rather face a legion of menos while smeared with hollow-bait all over in the middle of Hueco Mundo. At least they would die an honorable death…

"Eat it." Prodded Isshin "Don't you dare embarrassed our guest now; not when she spent half of the day in the kitchen for it."

Ichigo wanted to shove the tray in his father's face and reminds him that the women were CAPTIVES, not guests. But at the moment he spied a flicker of amusement that lit up Rukia's eyes, he glared at her instead.

Everyone looked at him expectantly. He wanted to look enviously at their meal.

Suddenly, Rukia reached out and grabbed a piece of chicken off Ichigo's bowl. "Perhaps Taicho is concerned that this is a plot to murder him by poison." She said simply, before popping the meat into her mouth. Chewing daintily before swallowing, she gave him a challenging smile. "As usual, Inoue outdid herself. It's delicious."

Inoue smiled gratefully.

"Oi, Ichigo taicho." Tatsuki said impatiently. "Eat it so Inoue can start with her dinner already."

Slowly, Ichigo lifted a piece of chicken and placed it in his mouth. He continued to chew it carefully without saying anything. Inwardly, he was cringing at the absurd taste. Forlornly, he revolved if he was going to die from a stomach upset later on. The evil bitch, Rukia was grinning at him and yet her eyes were glint with malevolence that he was very certain the others could not see. How the hell was she able to stand the awful taste, he had no idea.

Like a man led to his execution, Ichigo forced himself to take a couple of bites.

This means war, he thought to himself. Without second thoughts, he was clearly aware who put Inoue to the task of 'cooking' for him. His hands itched to strangle Kuchiki Rukia. Mentally, he counted his bites so that when it reached ten, he'd ask for a different food.

"I'm glad you like it, Taicho." Inoue gushed. "I'll try to cook you food once in a while –

"NO!" Ichigo shouted.

He blinked as everyone squinted at his sudden outburst.

With grim thoughts, he glared at a Kuchiki Rukia that was quivering slightly with barely suppressed mirth. "Err… please don't bother, Inoue." He said quickly. "We have a household staff that can do that."

"But I handle the kitchen." Yuzu said innocently.

"Yuzu, you're my sister, it's your responsibility to take care of the household."

"So… Rukia-chan." Isshin said pleasantly, turning to the noble and beamed. "I hope everything in our home is up to your standards –

"She's a friggin' captive, old man." Ichigo said angrily as Karin raised an eyebrow at their father. "Why are you talking like this is a vacation for her?"

Isshin shot his son a death look. "She's a Kuchiki, idiot! What would Byakuya say if we gave her less than 100 silk sheets?"

"She can sleep in sackcloth for all I care!"

"You'd sleep in the sackcloth first before I let you do that to Rukia-chan!"

"It's alright…" Rukia whispered quietly in a broken voice, drawing everyone's attention to herself. She slowly set down her chopsticks. "I can sleep on sackcloth…" Keeping her eyes downcast, she clenched her hands tightly, before moving it to be hidden under the table. "I'm not supposed to be treated with such hospitality; Kurosaki-dono… someone like me should be thrown into the dungeon and given paltry rations of moldy bread and stale water; given a thin straw mat over a hard concrete floor…" She then looked up to Kurosaki Isshin, with tears falling down her face. "I apologize for causing a disturbance…"

Beside her, Yuzu was wiping moisture from her eyes "Ichi-nii, you're SO mean…"

Ishida looked back on his plate in time to see Inoue burst into a full-fledged cry-fest. "Inoue-san…" he said weakly, handing her his hand-embroidered handkerchief.

"Well I hope they don't give us separate cells… I'd be lonely on my own…" Inoue sobbed.

Ichigo felt a vein throb painfully in his temple. Why in the world did people buy Kuchiki Rukia's act? Did everyone conveniently forget that she was a smart, manipulative bitch? Suddenly, his father grabbed him by the head. And why the hell was Inoue crying too?

"MORON!" Isshin bawled. "You made Rukia-chan cry!" He then let go of his first-born and rush to a portrait of his wife that hung in the dining area. "Masaki, my love, my darling, joy of my heart! Please forgive me for failing to raise our son properly! It's my entire fault he's such an insensitive jerkwad! How dare he do this to Rukia-chan, our new third daughter!"

"Third daughter?" Karin echoed in disbelief. "Are you adopting her?"

"Really?" Yuzu asked, her eyes glistening, "I always wanted an older sister!"

Tatsuki shook her head "Yuzu, you have Karin already."

"But she's my twin. It's not like she's really older than me."

"Congratulations, Kuchiki – er, Kurosaki-san!" The enthusiastic voice of Keigo piped up.

Wearily, Ichigo slumped back against his chair as the dining room exploded into a frenzy of conversation. But not before he noticed Rukia give him a triumphant look.

A dark cat jumped off a tree before starting towards a dirt path.

The cat looked up at the night sky, the moon reflected in its eyes.

It then resumed its journey.

"Arisawa-san?"

Tatsuki nodded to show that she was listening. After dinner, she volunteered to escort Rukia up her room, so as to put considerable distance between her and the irate Taicho. In amusement, she wondered who needed protection from whom: Ichigo or Rukia. At that moment, they were fortunate enough that Isshin-san delayed his son in the dining area; thereby eliminating the possibility of Ichigo succeeding in strangling Kuchiki Rukia.

Of course, everyone heard him scream that she was dead when he got her alone. He howled it fairly loud enough. But if Tatsuki would be asked to place a bet, she'd place all her earnings with Rukia. With luck, she'd cash on her winnings as she was sure the smaller woman could beat her Taicho into a bloody pulp – all with a silly smile on her face.

"Arisawa-san," Rukia asked again, "what happened on that day… when Masaki-san was killed?"

Tatsuki paused in her tracks. "It's hard to believe, isn't it?" she asked the other. "He doesn't seem like a guy who'd kill a defenseless woman, does he?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." Rukia admitted silently, staring at the carpet to hide the confusion in her eyes. "All I want now is to know the truth."

"Aizen went here to find Ichigo's father." Tatsuki replied. "Isshin-san was helping Urahara Taicho of the 12th division escape to the human realm after he was exiled. They knew that someone was after Urahara's invention, the thing that caused him to be exiled in the first place, the Hyogokyu."

"The crumbling treasure? Isn't that just an old folk take?"

"One hundred years ago, when Urahara invented it, it wasn't."

Rukia gasped. "It existed that long? I heard that it was a dangerous thing…"

"Yes, it can make a shinigami acquires hollow powers and vice-versa." Tatsuki explained. "For a long time, Urahara hid its existence as he tried to find a place to hide it. Until Urahara found a way to seal it; but not without Aizen knowing."

"Why would Aizen want the hyogokyu? Surely not be a hollow?" Rukia mused aloud. "Wait, why would he be after Masaki-san when Urahara had it?"

Tatsuki looked at her uneasily. "I'm afraid I am not in a liberty to tell you. I apologize, Kuchiki-san. Perhaps you should ask Ichigo Taicho instead. No one has ever spoken about the details of the incident since he became a Taicho."

As the shinigami officer left, Rukia walked quickly to her bed and snuggled under the covers. It seemed like she had to deal with the stubborn Taicho first before she got any information from him. The most logical thing to do was to ask him outright, of course. However, the idea of digging up decades of filth was a task that even she was hesitant to do. Without Tatsuki saying it, Rukia knew that the incident altered Ichigo and reminding him about it would probably cause him to be enraged with her.

"Why do I even care, anyway?" Rukia said to herself angrily. Frowning, she contemplated on Aizen Taicho until she slowly fell asleep. It was then that she arrived in the realm of her dreams…

"_Hold out your hand, Rukia."_

_Obediently, Rukia complied, and an intricate box was placed on her small palm. "Sosuke?"_

"_Open it, if you're curious." He said with a smile. "It's something a subordinate of mine brought from the human realm."_

_Slowly, Rukia undid the ribbon and opened the lid. A small glass globe set on a short pedestal was inside. Reaching out, she took the object and inspected it. It was filled with a liquid of some sort – water, perhaps and there was a miniature castle fixed at the center. "It's very delicate and pretty, Sosuke." She said, looking up at her betrothed. "Thank you."_

_Aizen Sosuke smiled anew. "You have to shake it first, Rukia."_

_Bewildered but decidedly curious, Rukia did so, and was surprised to see small; white things flutter around the castle. "It's… snow…" she breathed in amazement. "I have never seen anything like this before…"_

_The man beside her nodded in approval. For the first time after almost 40 years, the Kuchiki façade slipped and Rukia allowed herself to show emotion. Her appreciations for her present an obvious indication. "I'm glad it pleases you, Rukia. It's called a snow globe. When I saw that, I immediately knew that it must belong to you."_

"_Thank you."_

_Sosuke stepped closer to her in order to peer down her eyes. "I do not have the ability to provide you with a home that is as opulent as Kuchiki Taicho's as of the moment, so I hope that my gift will do."_

_Rukia felt herself feel a bit embarrassed to hear such things. Of course, Aizen Sosuke was supposed to say them; after all, they were to be married several months in the future. Yet, she felt uneasy about something now that they were betrothed to each other. Especially so whenever he smiled at her – even if it was the most gentle and kindest smile that she had ever seen. _

_Mentally, she shook her head; perhaps she was just nervous about the wedding; yes, that was probably the only reason…_

"_The war against the Arrancars is unavoidable, Rukia." Aizen answered finally, with a trace of disappointment in his voice. "Despite my effort to prevent us from using force, Seiretei is left with no choice. It will only be a matter of time before it is decided that we go to war."_

"_Sosuke…" Rukia muttered hesitantly, trying to find the right things to say. After all, she knew that he was against violence and bloodshed. "I am sorry…"_

"_I know, Rukia." He replied somberly, placing a hand on her shoulders, before slowly pulling her form against his. "I promise to keep an eye on your brother, your Taicho… as well as return safely." Running a hand through her hair, he murmured, "Then when I return, we will be wed."_

_For the life of her, Rukia could not understand why she felt her body turn cold all of a sudden. It was as if she was dropped into a freezing lake._

Suddenly, Rukia gasped as she sat up. Angrily, she shook her head. This thing about Aizen Taicho was bothering her to the extreme! Why was she dreaming about him this often? Not only that, but the nature of dreams all focused on her deep, hidden, and irrational fear of the man. She was supposed to be impartial, but why did she now doubt Aizen Sosuke? The man did nothing but show her kindness and understanding. However, as she watched the Kurosaki family, she couldn't help but wonder about the possibility of Aizen being a murderer as real.

The answer lies in the Hyogokyu. If Rukia could better understand the truth that was hidden in the myth, perhaps she could find a way to know the truth about Aizen and the Kurosakis.

Carefully, she reached for a small box from under her pillow; it was only one of the few things she was able to carry with her when she attempted to escape her home. Opening the box, Rukia looked at the memento Aizen Taicho gave her – the snow globe. Quickly she shook it, anticipating the soothing feel that came afterwards when she saw the fake snow swirl around the picturesque castle. Surprisingly, there was none.

Without another thought, Rukia pushed herself out of bed. Fluidly, she straightened up and donned on her dressing gown over the yukata she wore. She was going to the library to research about the Hyogokyu… and perhaps checks out some books on Kido as well. For a rich family like the Kurosakis, they were bound to have some rare books stashed somewhere.

Ichigo was busy with a lot of things. As a Taicho, he was given a multitude of tasks that require his utmost concentration. However, no matter how busy he was, he took time to reflect on his life in front of his mother's portrait in their large library. Of course, he was also impatiently waiting for a reply from Urahara on just how he could avert any further confrontation from another Taicho apart from Aizen.

Thus it was that he found himself stepping inside his hiding spot (no one would DARE think that he stayed in the library most of the time; reading the works of a playwright who lived in the human realm centuries ago – William Shakespeare). It was only during midnight that he felt comfortable enough to grab a book from the library.

Perhaps he should read _Much Ado About Nothing_… If there was anyone who needed a diversion, it was him. After all, dealing with a scheming Kuchiki can cause one to lose sanity if exposed to the annoying noble for an extended period of time.

As Ichigo locked the door, he sauntered over to his mother's portrait. He gazed at it for a while before he made his way to the shelves. However, he stopped in his tracks as he spotted something he was surprised to see.

Kuchiki Rukia was curled up on the carpet, sound asleep. What the hell was she doing, sleeping in the library instead of her designated room?

"What is wrong with you, midget?" he half-whispered to himself as he walked over.

The noblewoman was lying on her side, her hand clutching a book in a death grip. Carefully, Ichigo tried to make sense of the title.

Advanced Kido: Things You Never Thought; It Is Possible! 

No wonder she was that proficient in kido; she obviously spent hours studying. It was weird though; she seemed more interested in being a shinigami than attending many parties. Slowly, he pried the book from her hands and set it on a table. Casually, he opened the pages to check which part she was currently in. These were really advance stuff, mused Ichigo. "Now why is it you're still an unranked shinigami, midget?" he mused silently, remembering how she outwitted his soldiers and released her shikai without even calling its name out loud.

"Because Nii-sama didn't want me to be one." A voice called out sleepily.

Ichigo turned to face Kuchiki Rukia who was still lying on her side, her eyes yet to open. It seemed that he woke her up and she heard his apparent question. Before he could stop himself, he blurted out: "Kuchiki Taicho didn't want you to be a seated shinigami? But isn't that a worthy position for a noble anyway?"

"I heard it accidentally when he talked with Ukitake Taicho." Rukia replied in a slumberous tone, wiping her eyes languidly. "He said it himself, he wanted Taicho to remove my name from the list of potential officers…"

It seemed to Ichigo that Rukia's guard was down when she just woke up because at that moment, she gave a small yawn. This would never have happened if she was fully awake and had her wits about her.

Damned if she didn't look any cuter.

"Nii-sama said that he didn't want me going on difficult missions…"

"He's over-protective?" Ichigo questioned, surprised at how Byakuya cared for his younger sister.

"Nope. He doesn't believe in my skills." Rukia corrected him absent-mindedly, curling her body into a fetal position, still in the threshold of her slumber.

"He's your brother," Ichigo said quietly, pressing his advantage over the still vulnerable Rukia; wanting to know something about this enigma. "He's allowed to be over-protective."

"Maybe for you; but not for nii-sama…" murmured Rukia. "As long… as I can… remem… ber, nii-sama never… cared for me once…"

Ichigo frowned. That really wasn't possible, older brothers were supposed to care for their baby sisters, protecting them from harm.

"Envy… Karin… and Yuzu… have … brother … cares for… them…" Rukia said incoherently.

For a while, there was only silence. Ichigo peered back at Rukia who remained motionless, except for her deep breathing. The orange-haired taicho examined her even closely. Strange as it may, he preferred seeing her asleep. Maybe it is because it was when she looked relaxed and at peace.

"Well…" Ichigo murmured in a low voice as he brushed back her bangs from her face, so it wouldn't obscure her features. "I can take care of you if you want…" he started to say, but immediately added "since the old man called you his third daughter." Knowing that it sounded all too lame especially in his ears, he quickly reached for a shawl that was lying on one of the chairs and covered her with it. What the hell was he thinking, telling the annoying woman he could take care of her?

Maybe he felt the injustice of an older brother ignoring his baby sister. Yeah, right, he snorted; Kurosaki, you're starting to sound like that Tousen-taicho with your shitty-injustice speech.

"But I'm sure your brother cares for you, in his own ice-block way, of course." He murmured finally, deciding it was the most prudent thing to say. Not that he ought to, mind you. The midget was asleep, so there was no need for him to justify his thoughts to her in the first place.

With that, Ichigo tucked the shawl around her one last time before he left. "Pleasant dreams, midget."

Once the door was closed, Rukia opened her eyes.

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Hope that wasn't too fluffy for everyone! And yes, Rukia was awake all the while. Draw your own conclusions!

Did you guys watch episode 160 of the Bleach anime? WOOT!

I so wanted to write a valentine's day fic; but I really am too busy to even think of another fic when I have this one going on. At any rate, happy Valentines Day even if its late.

I added the Kurosaki family and KON; I so love Isshin. I miss him and his weird antics.

I dedicate this fic to my beta: my e-dad, Kaya, my e-mom 07Janina07, and my e-sister CooWings. Likewise, I'd like to introduce new members of my family: my e-great-great-grandmother, Bunnisteffi, her twin (my e-great-great-grand aunt Laurie B.), and my e-godmother MitsukaiMizuno!


	4. Chapter 4

Heart's Desire Chapter 4 By C. LeShay 

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, IshiHime, Byakuya, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13). The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

This is chapter 4, also known as the 'crack' chapter.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_Well…" Ichigo murmured in a low voice as he brushed back her bangs from her face, so it wouldn't obscure her features. "I can take care of you if you want…" he started to say, but immediately added "since the old man called you his third daughter." Knowing that it sounded all too lame especially in his ears, he quickly reached for a shawl that was lying on one of the chairs and covered her with it. What the hell was he thinking, telling the annoying woman he could take care of her? _

_Maybe he felt the injustice of an older brother ignoring his baby sister. Yeah, right, he snorted; Kurosaki, you're starting to sound like that Tousen-taicho with your shitty-injustice speech._

"_But I'm sure your brother cares for you, in his own ice-block way, of course." He murmured finally, deciding it was the most prudent thing to say. Not that he ought to, mind you. The midget was asleep, so there was no need for him to justify his thoughts to her in the first place._

_With that, Ichigo tucked the shawl around her one last time before he left. "Pleasant dreams, midget."_

_Once the door was closed, Rukia opened her eyes._

…

…

…

The dawn of the next day saw Rukia pacing heavily across the padded carpet floor of her room. Sleep came to her late; she spent more than an hour of tossing and turning in her bed until exhaustion claimed her. She surprised herself by walking up even before the sun was out, wondering on her next course of action. Unfortunately, her mind was on a different thing entirely, other than the carefully laid-out plans for escaping that she formulated a few days earlier.

Now that she was sure that Kurosaki Ichigo really had no intentions of harming her other than using her as a bargaining chip against Aizen. Rukia was wishing that she were still ignorant of the 14th division Taicho's vendetta instead. This knowledge only served to make her falter and slowly lose her resolve to see through what she had set out to do before.

Rukia berated herself. Now was not the time to worry about what will happen if her brother receives news about her abduction. Now was not the time to think about how worried Ukitake Taicho was about her. And most especially, it was not the time for her to worry about what Aizen Taicho would do in retaliation.

To her horror, Rukia found herself worrying about the fate of the Kurosaki family, now that she was with them. As a shinigami (albeit an unranked one), Rukia was pretty much aware of the protocols and policies that govern the Gotei 14. As a noble, she knew that diplomacy was something that her Nii-sama would not forsake when he dealt with Kurosaki-Taicho. However, that did not mean that he would not give her captor a thrashing of his life. She had seen her Nii-sama with his zanpaktuo at its bankai form, and it was a scary and mind-numbing sight to see, with all that reiatsu flowing calmly in the air like an encompassing blanket.

Kurosaki's troubles will not end with that. He would also stand to hear something from her betrothed, the Taicho of the 5th division. Of course it was doubtable if Aizen would act rashly and suddenly attempted to severe Kurosaki Ichigo's head from his shoulders, but if he was angered enough, who knows? Though Aizen Sosuke's bankai was yet to be seen by many, it did not mean that his was weaker. With his extensive knowledge of kido, her bespectacled betrothed can kick ass himself. Kurosaki Ichigo was definitely in trouble.

Angrily, Rukia shook her head at her inappropriate thoughts. No. She had to get out of here and report Kurosaki to the higher-ups. She was a Kuchiki; the law must be followed to the letter with no excuses. Taking a deep breath, Rukia attempted to recover her calm and focus. This went on several times until she felt her mind clear the inner cobwebs that hindered her.

As a prisoner, her first priority was getting out of the 14th division with Inoue. Rukia must not falter and do her duty – by escaping. Once she was able to clear his district, she had to get to her division (as it was the closest) and send words to her brother immediately. However, this could only be done if Kurosaki Ichigo stops treating her as a captive and relax the security measures placed around her. But is there any specific way for her to achieve this result? Was there a way for her to make him lower his guard for a moment?

A smile broke from Rukia's mouth. This was all too easy, like taking candy from a baby…

…

…

…

"Good morning, Yuzu-san." A bright-faced Rukia greeted, sauntering into the room wearing a stunning turquoise blue kimono that had once been Kurosaki Masaki's.

Yuzu smiled brightly, "Good morning, Rukia-nee! What brings you here to the kitchens?"

"Well," Rukia started a bit shyly, "I was wondering if you needed my help today."

"Eh?"

Rukia gave the young girl a smile. "Well… I heard Inoue plans to offer you her assistance…"

The youngest sister of the Taicho barely made a sound, but her mouth was opening and closing wordlessly, like a fish. Suddenly, she shook her head. "I'd be HAPPY to let you help, Rukia-nee!"

Rukia chuckled. "So it seems, Yuzu-san."

"Rukia-nee, call me Yuzu; we're practically sisters now!"

Practically sisters, now that was a concept Rukia wondered about. "Well…" she said, trying to change the subject. "So what's the plan for the meal later, Yuzu?"

"I wanted to try something new… something not very Seiretei-like. Do you know any foreign cuisine, Rukia-nee? Something from the Mortal World, perhaps?"

Rukia smiled as she pondered on the question. "But Yuzu, everyone is so used to the kind of food in Seiretei. To do something drastically can cause disaster. You can already see how they reacted to Inoue's… unique-looking dish…"

There was a slight look for dejection that was seen in Yuzu's usually cheerful countenance "Oh… I suppose…"

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure your brother wouldn't mind if we try spaghetti, right?" Rukia managed to speak.

"What won't I mind?" A menacing voice called out from the door.

The two turned around in time to see Ichigo scowling behind them. Rukia just shrugged "Yuzu and I will make spaghetti for dinner. I hope you don't mind."

"Were you the one who taught Inoue to cook?" He asked suspiciously. Damn right he should ask; Inoue Orihime nearly killed his taste buds that disastrous evening.

Miffed, Rukia glared at him. "She's a self-taught chef."

"Stay out of the kitchen, Midget." He warned. "If I see you at least 10 meters from here again –

"You're so mean, Ichi-nii." Yuzu interrupted, "Why are you like that? Rukia-nee was just trying to help."

"BOOR!" a voice cried out just as Ichigo was caught by a spinning kick to the side of his head, sending him to the nearest wall – which was a few feet away. "Hurting the feelings of my third daughter like that – you should be ashamed of yourself!" Isshin then took Rukia's hands. "My dear daughter, did the mean ugly do anything else to you?" He gave his son a naughty look "I heard from Keigo that someone here has been groping impressionable ladies in bed…"

"What the hell? And you believed KEIGO?"

Isshin made a disapproving sound. "Ichigo, Ichigo. Rukia's your SISTER now! I didn't know you were so kinky to be into incest!"

Quickly, Rukia pulled her hands from Isshin's and covered Yuzu's ears. Indignantly, she glared at Ichigo as if it was his fault that his father was sprouting such blatant and disgusting words.

In a flash, Ichigo dashed and grabbed his father by the collar "You sick bastard!" he shouted as he shook his father. "What the hell are you doing, saying such crazy things?" Although Ichigo was already aware that whatever it was that sprouted from his father's mouth was not good and was probably calculated for his discomfort. Unless his father was really that DUMB…

"Well if you WANTED Rukia-chan, you should have just told me," a petulant Isshin yowled, tears coursing through his cheeks as he gazed fondly at his 'adopted third daughter' who was now looking even more discomfited. "If you want, we could undo the adoption so you can marry –

Ichigo felt the need to fling his father against the wall. Time and time again, he wondered why in the world was he saddled with someone as crazy as Kurosaki Isshin as a father; couldn't it have been someone else? "What adoption? Get a grip old man! Who the hell in their right mind would want that flat-chested, foul-mouthed midget?"

There was a gasp behind him as Rukia dropped her hands from Yuzu's ears.

"You don't find Rukia-chan attractive?" Isshin questioned his still oblivious firstborn. "You denied her exquisite charms, her flawless complexion, her raven-tresses – much beautiful than Byakuya's, if I might add; and her luminous windows to the soul?"

"Are you wasted so early in the morning? Do I find MONKEYS attractive?" hollered Ichigo, uncomfortable at hearing Rukia being piled with accolades. "Get a grip – even Tatsuki's a better catch than her, and that's saying something!"

"Ahem." Rukia grunted as she cracked her knuckles, a vein throbbing on her forehead.

Ichigo blinked. His father smirked triumphantly. "It's ass-whooping time, boy." Isshin taunted.

"Sōukatsui! Byakurai! Shakkahō!" An irate Rukia called out as she fired off a mid-level kidō spells towards the tall Taicho of the 14th division.

If it weren't for Ichigo's impressive reflexes, it would be safe to assume that Rukia would have given him 3rd degree burns all over. "Hey! That could have fried me, midget!"

"That was the general idea, strawberry!" gritted Rukia as she jumped over the table and grabbed Ichigo in a headlock. Tugging hard, she attempted to remove his orange locks by the handful. "If I can, I'd love to burn you!"

"Get off me, you annoying pest! Let go!" shouted Ichigo as he tried to squirm from her grasp. After failing to shrug her off, Ichigo used his body to force her off. He rolled to the side, dragging Rukia down. "Argh! You bit me!"

Yuzu gaped at the two as Isshin just stood and smiled melodramatically, as the two grappled with each other on the polished kitchen floor. Their movements sent him in rapture "AH! Young love, so sweet, so pure; young love, so fiery, so true!"

"I take it back" Ichigo barked, "You're no monkey – you're a dog!"

"And you're a dead man, strawberry!" growled Rukia as she used her fingernails to scratch whatever part of him she could reach.

"We ought to stop them." Yuzu told her father as she eyed the two combatants who were too busy arguing to notice the audiences.

Isshin placed a consoling hand on his youngest daughter's shoulder. "Yuzu dear; it's a fact of life – fighting is a great way to ease tension. Be lucky they're not rolling around doing something else on the floor right now." Suddenly, the former Taicho rubbed his chin pensively. "Come to think of it, the second option is better… I may get grandkids out of that."

"It's a wonder they didn't send you to Hueco Mundo!" came Ichigo's earsplitting voice. "If you were in the front lines, we could have won the war by now!"

There was a blood-curdling shout that was filled with pain.

Isshin grimaced as he pulled his daughter behind him, to spare her the agony of seeing her brother in such a state. "Well, there goes the Kurosaki family jewels."

It took a while before Rukia was calm enough to face the others with her façade. In her mind, she cursed Ichigo over and over again. The idiot was really thick-headed. He had the gall to roughly haul her body out of the kitchen and throw her unceremoniously out the hallway. No wonder she haven't heard rumors about him in a steady relationship; no woman could stand the dunderhead, not for all the money in Seiretei!

As Rukia sat beneath a shady tree, she spotted Kurosaki Karin practicing her kata with a wooden sword. For a while, Rukia observed the girl. She seemed to be fairly adept and her form was good. However, Karin was very self-conscious, as if she was hesitated to make mistakes. It was too bad really as she could be good. Before she could think twice, Rukia stood up and walked towards Karin.

"What do you want?"

"Care for a spar?"

"Why?" Karin challenged.

"Why not?", she shrugged. "You don't improve if you don't practice."

Karin looked at Rukia for a while. Then she took out another wooden sword that was leaning against a tree and hurled it to Rukia. The two stood in front of each other before they bowed warily.

Since she was the older one and she proposed this spar, Rukia figured she ought to make the first move. She moved in front pf the girl and brought her sword down heavily. "No shunpo. No kido."

"You don't have to worry about that." Karin grumbled as she attempted to parry the blow. As Rukia moved nimbly to the side, Karin swung her sword sideways to meet the downward arc. The clanging of the wooden swords rang loudly in her ears. Suddenly, Rukia sprang backwards, disrupting her momentum. Before she could fully regain her footing, Rukia charged again, hitting her successively.

Karin felt the sweat roll down the side of her temple she was once again pushed back by an aggressive Rukia. Karin met the thrust before she spun to catch the older woman off-guard. But Rukia was expecting that move, so there was no element of surprise in Karin's favor.

"Not bad." Rukia muttered. "Do better next time."

For the life of her, Karin wondered how is it that a woman barely taller than her and scrawnier had twice the amount of strength she had. Because of the similarities of their build, Karin actually thought that she had an advantage over the unseated noble.

"You're too tense." Rukia spoke out of the blue as she stood her ground calmly, while the other was panting in exhaustion.

"Am not!" Growled Karin as she lunged herself at Rukia again. She missed hitting the other.

"You're putting too much strain on your shoulders!" Rukia said serenely. "At that rate, you'll tire easily."

"Shut up!" shouted Karin as she dodged Rukia's sword before darting to the side. She found an opening. Quickly, Karin brought down her sword to Rukia's back.

Only to find it blocked.

"Concentrate." Rukia's loud voice ordered, a barely noticeable trill of annoyance heard in it.

Enraged, Karin pulled back. She then launched herself in the air, intending to bring the sword down at Rukia.

To her surprise, the shinigami noble did nothing to protect herself. In fact, she lowered her sword and faced her head on. The move surprised Karin so much that she almost lost her calm and her balance. At the very last minute, Rukia suddenly stepped forward and thrust the sword straight up with both hands.

Everything, in Karin's perspective, appeared to be in slow motion. The wooden end of Rukia's sword came flying upwards, hitting her right shoulder. This jarred Karin's arm and caused her aim to miss. Then Rukia made a quick, slashing motion sideways. If it were a real sword that she was holding, Karin would have been cut in to. As such the force was still strong enough to cause her to careen slightly to the side where she fell into a crumpled heap.

"You were too tense." Rukia lectured coolly, as she unconsciously made the motions of sheathing the wooden sword to the side. "Too much emotion clouds the judgment. You will be easily deceived by your opponent that way."

"Fuck." Karin mouthed before she spat the blood out of her mouth. "Who taught you to fight like that?"

"I had tutors." Rukia said casually as if they were discussing the weather.

"They have tutors for this shit?" Karin's disbelieving voice grated out. "Is that even allowed in the 14 Gotei Squads?"

Shrugging, Rukia extended a hand to help the younger Kurosaki on her feet. "No, Nii-sama hired shinigamis to see to it."

Karin grabbed the offered hand and stood up. "Since when? Did you study while you were in the academy?"

"Since I was 10." Rukia answered wryly. "Nii-sama has been hiring people to train me since I turned 10."

"Did he want to make the ultimate shinigami? You were a kid then. I haven't been allowed to pick up a bokken until I turned 19." Karin offered to comment. "Except Ichi-nii. The old goat chin practically forced him to take up the sword and learn shunpo ever since he could stand."

Rukia found herself giving the younger woman a smile unconsciously. "Your brother has to be able to protect you and Yuzu, so I guess he had no choice." Ichigo's siblings were good people; despite having lived a good number of years and were only two years younger than her, their reiatsu was not at the same level as their father and brother. As such, they were unable to become a shinigami; which was unfortunate, especially since Karin seemed to be very interested. Fortunately, the girl took it all in stride and focused of harnessing whatever talents she had.

As Karin dusted her hakama, she gave Rukia a shrewd glance. "I heard you nearly burned my brother with your kidō. Care to demonstrate?"

Rukia gave the other an amused look. "Point me to the nearest live target."

"Annoying midget…" grumbled Ichigo as Inoue used her abilities to heal his numerous bruises.

Ishida sat nearby. "It would be prudent not to insult a woman when her closest friend is treating you, Kurosaki." He suggested lazily.

But the fuming Taicho ignored the other as he continued to mutter curses against a certain shinigami noble. "When I get my hands on her… I swear; she'll be dead!"

In order to get healed, Ichigo requested the help of Inoue. The healer from the Kuchiki household arrived in the library after Ishida fetched her. The two had been seen quite often together that Ichigo made a mental note to ask Ishida the real score between them.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and an angry Tatsuki stormed in.

"Oi, Tatsuki –

However, Ichigo was unable to ask or say anything as Tatsuki stomped towards him and punched him straight on the face. Then she pummeled him with her fists, barely giving Ichigo time to dodge.

"TATSUKI!" roared Ichigo, "What the fuck's wrong with you?"

"FIGURE IT OUT, MORON Taicho!" Tatsuki yelled; her face flushed with anger.

In a rush, Ichigo grabbed Tatsuki's hands before flinging her to the side. "Explain yourself, Arisawa!"

"Does 'Get a grip – even Tatsuki's a better catch than her, and that's saying something' give you a clue, Taicho?"

"Who told you?"

"YOUR FATHER!"

"Sheesh! Lighten it up Tatsuki," Ichigo ordered. "I just said that to annoy Rukia, and what's wrong about that? I said that you're a better catch than her!"

Before Tatsuki could retaliate, there was a loud explosion heard, before a deafening cheer.

In a flurry of shunpo, Ichigo and the others dashed to the training grounds. There were a hundred of things that were running in his head: they were being attacked; there was an accident, and Kuchiki Rukia.

Somehow, Ichigo figured that the damn woman had something – if not everything – to do with this.

The training grounds of the 14th division, despite being the most recent of all in Seiretei, were a fairly impressive one. Initially, it was just a barren wasteland when the previous Taicho, Isshin, got it. However, it was due to the insistence of his late wife that the place underwent a major change. There were a lot of fruit-bearing trees, colorful shrubbery, and even several koi ponds. If it wasn't for the aesthetically placed 'combat rings' and target gallery, Gotei 14th's training ground could have been mistaken for a park. Of all the places in Seiretei, this was Kurosaki Ichigo's favorite place. He grew up in the grounds as he spent considerable time there with his father who often dragged him from the manor nearby to practice on his sword-fighting skills and shunpo. As he became a Taicho, it became a common sight to see him in the training grounds more than in the formal division offices.

It was safe to assume that Ichigo was fond of his training grounds. Naturally, his mad dash to it was understandable.

As the dust cleared, Ichigo and the others finally saw what made the shinigami in his division cheered. Kuchiki Rukia was in the middle, demonstrating her skills in kidō. There were hundreds of targets in front of her, and she managed to destroy almost all of them. The ground was littered with debris, while the targets that remained standing were charred badly. It was an ominous reminder of what could happen if the targets were shinigami – or hollow – than detailed wood blocks.

Kuchiki Rukia stood there, basking in the applause.

"What the hell is going on?" thundered Ichigo as he glared at his subordinates. Most of them cowered in fear, while the others simply gaped back in shock at his sudden appearance. Turning to his captive, Ichigo grabbed her by the arm. "Explain."

"There were asking for a demonstration." Rukia explained calmly. "I showed them."

Ichigo felt like hitting himself. How could he forget that this woman was among the kidō masters in Gotei 14? He was lucky she didn't decide to obliterate his men and their barracks. Even without shunpo, she was nimble and fast. Her being able to call out her zanpaktuō's shikai release in silence was a sign that she was near enough to reach bankai; not to mention that she had the razor-sharp mind of a high-ranking shinigami were enough reasons for him to be wary of her. "Did I give permission to 'demonstrate' destructive kidō spells?"

To her credit, Rukia reigned in whatever sharp-tongued comment she was ready to fling at him out of deference to his rank and the fact that his subordinates were present. Ichigo was about to mentally thank Kuchiki Byakuya for instilling in his sister a sense of tact and diplomacy when Rukia brought down the coup-de-grace.

"I apologize, Kurosaki-Taicho." She said before she broke into a full-blown sob-fest. "I was only trying to help… I didn't know that you would be displeased at my attempts to show you how grateful I am for your kindness…"

"I don't need you to show me how grateful you are, Kuchiki." Ichigo said irefully, "I'm ordering you to stop interfering with my division."

That seemed to have made Rukia snap, because she immediately stopped her fake crying and stepped up to the tall Taicho, giving him a death glare.

"What are you staring at, Kuchiki?" he rasped in clipped tones.

"Ichi-nii." Karin drawled behind him. "Give it a rest, I asked her to. Your shinigamis needed to see a proper destructive kidō anyway."

"What's this I hear about Ichigo scolding Rukia-chan…"

"For God's sake, why now?" Muttered Ichigo as he saw his father flash–step towards them. Isshin seemed to be with built-in radar to know where he was and what he was doing. It was such a remarkable skill that when Ichigo was younger, he once thought that his father was a mind-reader.

However, as he grew older, Ichigo came to realize that his father was able to sense his children's reiatsu better than anyone in Seiretei.

"Rukia-chan!" Isshin asked, gasping loudly. "Why are you crying?" there was a dark glint in his eye as he looked at Ichigo. "Who did this to you?"

Rukia shook her head as she started to weep again. "Gomen… Kurosaki-dono… I didn't know that I was causing trouble… gomen."

As his old man comforted the shinigami noble, Ichigo seethed in anger at how Kuchiki Rukia had her father pretty much wrapped around her pinky. Even the men who were in his division all looked like they were ever ready to bend over backwards, just for her. Fortunately for him, her friend Inoue wasn't present, or she could have caused even greater crying problems.

"Ichigo!"

"She used high-level destructive kidō in my division. She could have done severe damage here." Ichigo replied dryly. "As a prisoner, she ought to have been bound with a death stone. In fact, I will rectify that mistake and haul her to her room, bound and gagged."

"A high-level destructive kidō?" Isshin gaped. "Don't tell me you're lying…"

"Ask them, old man."

On cue, everyone nodded. Then, everybody tried to tell his or her own version – at the same time. From the lowest shinigami to Ichigo's ranked officers, there was a description for Kuchiki Rukia's kidō ability.

The Kurosaki patriarch held up his hand for silence. "Rukia-chan." Isshin uttered seriously as he took hold of the woman by her shoulders. "What you did was…….. VERY IMPRESSIVE!

I wanna see it. Will you repeat?" he asked excitedly, like a kid who was locked in a candy store. "Can you do a HAIEN spell?"

"OI!" Ichigo said angrily "Stop this shit –

"Just because you're only a couple of step higher than Zaraki when it comes to kidō, doesn't mean you can look down on those who are exceptional – you bigot!" Isshin replied hotly. "I say, let Rukia-chan do it! Or are you too afraid that she's better than a lame excuse of a Captain such as yourself?"

"I say, she shouldn't, and that's final." Ichigo gritted out, grabbing the front of his father's blue gi. "She'll be escorted to her room."

Isshin immediately pounced on his son; the movement propelled them to the ground, where they were rolling as they grappled at each other's throats. "You're way too early to beat me in a fist fight, boy!" However, it seemed like everyone was used to it, since no one looked surprised or anything. If ever, there were some who were discreetly placing bets on the winner.

"Get-off-me-Asshole!"

"Your guard is down, you moron!"

"Stop it already!" Karin ordered in annoyance as Ishida and the others broke the crowd, dispersing them from the area. "I said stop it!" she shouted.

"Allow me." Rukia said as she gently pushed Karin to the side. Raising her arms, she chanted. "Sprinkled on the bones of the beast! Sharp tower; red crystal; steel ring. Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm. The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!" She then pointed it towards the two as she said the required number "Raikōhō!"

Both father and son looked up in time to see a massive burst of yellow energy shoot at them.

Ichigo winced as he gingerly touched the singe marks on the side of his face. "Ouch." He muttered painfully as he focused his glare on Rukia who was seated across him. Unfortunately, the woman did not even have the grace to look contrite. On the contrary, she looked positively pleased with herself and her behavior.

One of these days, Ichigo is going to skin her alive, pull the strands of her hair one by one until she was bald, or probably just tie her up a tree like a piñata and bash her repeatedly.

As the servants brought in the food, Isshin took a swipe at his son "Stop scaring Rukia-chan, imbecile!"

"Scaring her?" sneered Ichigo, noting with disapproval that Rukia now had an expression of apprehension. Obviously, she was milking the entire thing to her benefit. "She almost fried us to a crisp and you tell me to stop 'scaring' her?" He questioned his father.

But it was as if Ichigo said nothing, as Isshin turned to Rukia and asked her pleasantly. "Will you be doing another demonstration soon? Don't worry. I appreciate skills better than THAT jerk." With that he started to dig into his meal as the same time the others did. "Wow, this is new, Yuzu. Is this the spaghetti you were talking about?"

Yuzu nodded happily as the others 'oohh-ed' and 'ahh-ed' at the appetizing dish. In a hurry, everyone immediately tasted it while Keigo wolfed down his.

In an almost comedic fashion, everyone's eyes bulged open in surprise as choking promptly ensured.

Rukia quickly grabbed her napkin and discreetly removed the offending food from her mouth. Her Kuchiki poise saved her, so no one was able to see how her eyes almost widened at the first taste of the spaghetti. Ichigo, on the other hand, hurriedly gulped down water, her eyes watering at the scorching and strong flavors that assaulted his senses. It was no surprise that the others were gagging.

"YOU!" Bellowed Ichigo, pointing a finger at Rukia. "This is YOUR fault! Did I not tell you to stay put of the kitchen?"

A vein throbbed in Rukia's forehead, again. "Well, I wasn't near the kitchen. I did what every captive would do; hide and tremble in my room!"

Standing up abruptly, Ichigo continued to rant, "You nobles do not know the shit about cooking! This is the most terrible food I have ever tasted."

Her face lighting up in anger, Rukia likewise stood up. "I may be a noble, but I certainly know that the word 'shit' is not to be used with food at the same time!"

"Ichi-nii…" Yuzu's weak voice whispered in a quiet voice as she looked down on her plate. "It's all my fault…"

Isshin immediately looked to Yuzu, a picture of a devoted father if not for the spaghetti sauce smeared across his mouth. "My baby girl, why is it your fault? Tell father all about it…"

Yuzu, red with embarrassment, fidgeted with her fork. "I thought I could cook spaghetti properly, so I didn't ask for Rukia-nee's help… I didn't know…" she sobbed quietly. "I didn't mean to ruin dinner. Please excuse me."

"Yuzu…" Ichigo soughed as his sister stood up and went out of the room in a hurry.

"Nice going, Ichi-nii." Karin said scornfully. "Not only do you insult Yuzu's cooking blatantly, but you accused Rukia-nee of something she didn't do." Giving her brother a good glare, she stood up to follow her sister.

Isshin was immediately on his feet. "BASTARD!" he cried as he lunged at his son, hurtling them to the floor. "You have to pay for injuring Yuzu's feelings, angering Karin, and making a fool of Rukia-chan!"

"Are you blaming me?"

"Well…" Tatsuki answered, standing from her seat as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, "Let's go and see if we can find somewhere else to eat, shall we?"

As the others agreed, Rukia stood up. "May I be excused, I want to sleep instead."

"Are you sure?" Mizuiro asked, surprised that she would rather sleep than eat. However, he figured that maybe she ate some snacks earlier, which was why she wasn't hungry.

Rukia nodded as she stood and walked over to Inoue while the others were talking. Quickly, she pulled her up so that no one would notice that she was enjoying the food. Though momentarily surprised and distracted, Inoue stood up and smiled cheerily at the others. "My, I feel all tuckered out too!"

"Aw man," Keigo whined, "First Kuchiki-san, and now, Inoue-san won't join us too!"

"Well, excuse us then." Rukia said as she bowed politely, Inoue following suit. "A pleasant evening!" The two then dashed off quietly as the others resumed their chatter on where to eat; unaware that a pair of glasses glinted as Ishida's eyes followed their movements.

Rukia sat in her room, a bundle of tautly stretched nerves. Her gaze was fixed out the window, observing the full moon. Though her face did not betray her emotions, anticipation was worming into her skin. Just as she thought she could stand it no more, the clouds moved with the faint breeze until it passed over the moon, obscuring it.

This was it. She took a deep breath and counted one to fifty. Before she could finish there was a quick rap on her door. It was light and cautious, which could only mean one thing. Quickly, Rukia dashed to the door and opened it to find Inoue, wearing dark clothing courtesy of Ishida, standing nervously.

Without a word, the other entered before closing the door softly. Rukia nodded in reassurance before she stalked to the seat by the window. Pushing the cushions aside, Rukia extracted a coiled length of cloth. Made from different fabrics that were tied in knots, it was so well made and sturdy that it could support the weight of a person.

Inoue took the other end and tied it securely at the foot of Rukia's bed.

Rukia was no fool. She knew that this attempt was something Ichigo was wary about, so she took pains to get as many strips of cloth she could find without making anyone notice it. Every piece was measured carefully, knowing that if she took a whole sheet or cover, servants were bound to notice. The old draperies were hard enough to snatch from the cupboards, but Rukia and Inoue managed to do so over the course of their confinement in the Kurosaki household.

Of course it was likewise hard to pretend like she wanted to escape but couldn't. The time was well spent as Rukia used the opportunity to study the habits of the shinigami of the 14th division: where they ate, when they went for drinks, and the rotation of the sentry guards. Should nothing go wrong, she and Inoue would reach the east wall during the five two minute interval when the guards changed.

Opening the window, Rukia let down the makeshift rope. The east side of the 14th division was safe, as Inoue had previously dropped a spoonful of red bean paste and chili into their food to ensure that they would look for something to eat somewhere else. Hopefully, a lot of them were 'persuaded' to get drinks that Kurosaki Taicho 'provided' for them. Well, Rukia figured that as long as the 14th division couldn't be out drink with the 8th, their Taicho's moneybags would be safe.

For those who wouldn't leave for a wild night out, a carefully written 'confession letter' of love from a fictitious woman/man would suffice.

Motioning Inoue to follow, Rukia shimmied down the rope. A nimble-footed Inoue came next. Honestly, all that escaping and survival training stuff with her bodyguards back at the Kuchiki estate were worth every penny; Rukia made note to tell her brother about how it was useful.

In the back of her mind, Rukia was disheartened to know that she caused the kind-hearted Yuzu to cry, but as she and Inoue dashed quickly (via side-along shunpo, of course; she **IS** a shinigami, she's supposed to know how to), she forced the guilty feeling to settle down.

The two skidded to a stop by the shadow of a large tree. They were just in time for the change shift, but there were two men who were standing in the field.

Both were holding the letters in their hand.

These men were stupid, thought Rukia. The letter mentioned the NORTH side of the wall, not the east. Of course, since it was worded in a form of a riddle, these idiots failed to get it.

"Oh dear." Inoue murmured. "Should we knock them out unconscious, Rukia-san?" She might not look like it, but Inoue was fairly adept in martial arts; besides her 'magical' skills were not just about healing at all. Slowly, her hands went up to the two floral hairpins adorning each side of her head.

"No." Rukia said, stopping her. "It's too risky. They might make some noise and someone might see you use it."

"What should we do then?"

Rukia thought for a moment, before she smiled. "They're about to meet the girls who admire them."

Yabu Hajime and Kudo Yosuke could not believe their eyes. Inoue Orihime and KUCHIKI Rukia were standing in front of them, smiling shyly. Were they were the ones who sent the letters? Heh. Imagine their luck. After decades of being ignored by women, such lovely ladies of breeding and grace now admired them.

"So," Yabu said. "Was it the two of you who sent the letters?"

Rukia smiled radiantly, almost striking the other man dumb. "I have something to say…

"Yabu-san." Inoue whispered behind her, fortunate enough to remember their names.

"Yabu-san." Rukia parroted as she batted her eyelashes in a decidedly coy manner.

Yabu Hajime gave his friend a triumphant smile before he stepped closer.

"And Inoue has asked that you step closer, too…

"Kudo-san." Inoue supplied dutifully.

"Kudo-san."

On cue, the other also stepped closer. For these two, it was pure luck enough if they got letters from women admirers. But to get them from a cute woman with great knockers, and the noble princess of the high-and-mighty Kuchiki clan, it was like a victory over a menos in itself! In anticipation of a heartfelt confession, the two willing came into the range Rukia's kidō.

"So?" Yabu asked again, as he leered eagerly at Rukia. "What was it that you were going to say?" His mouth watered at the sight of her blemish-free complexion; her graceful posture; the silky strands of her hair, and her luminous eyes.

His companion on the other hand, was riveted to the lush curves of Inoue as his hands flexed repeatedly at the thought of having them within his grasp.

Rukia tittered in amused laughter. "Nothing much, Yabu-san, Kudo-san… except…" her eyes glinted before she murmured "Hakufuku."

…

…

…

"Damn you, Ishida." Growled Ichigo as he surveyed the damage on the wall before he sped out of the hole to go after his fukutaicho. "You should have warned me the moment you realized something was suspicious."

"I couldn't risk it in case I was wrong." Ishida said. "If you confronted her earlier, she might have changed her plans. With her on guard, I don't think even I could catch her."

"Like seeing her window open and a makeshift rope dangling from it was not enough?"

"I just saw it now!" argued Ishida, as he gave his Taicho a pointed glance. "Besides," he said angrily, "You gave me no specific order to watch over Kuchiki Rukia all the time!"

Ichigo glared at Ishida's back before he matched his pace with his, "Che. Like you don't spend too much time 'looking over' Inoue? And don't you dare deny it!" It amused him to no end to see his uptight fukutaicho turn extremely red.

"Please, Kurosaki. Like I don't notice the way you gaze at Kuchiki-san." Snorted the fukutaicho. Honestly, with all the time you spend 'arguing' with her," he said emphatically "I'm even more surprised that you didn't know. For all that talk, you could have been camping outside her door these past few nights!"

"Moron! Does it look like I'm interested in her?"

"I don't know. Does it look like you're not?"

Ichigo gave his companion an angry glare. "You wanna debate on that all night or do you want to catch up with them?"

"Mask your reiatsu, Kurosaki." Ishida warned, as he changed the subject abruptly. "Not if you want Kuchiki Rukia to know that we are on them. Although," he added absently, as they reached one of the poor districts of Rukongai. "Inoue-san is quick to realize reiatsu signatures…"

"Right Ishida, you are SO not hot for Inoue."

"That is inappropriate, Kurosaki." The fukutaicho burst out in annoyance, a dark flush lighting his face. However, as he looked to the side, he spotted the two women ahead of them.

Apparently, Ichigo noticed them as well. "No shit, what is wrong with those two? That's one of the sleaziest-looking places I have ever seen and they're going NEAR it? They must be crazy or something!"

"I'm not sure about the reasons why." Ishida murmured as they slowed to fall behind them "But I know that we ought to be on guard."

No sooner had he finished this, than he saw Inoue bump into a man that suddenly appeared.

…

…

…

They had been running for quite a while. Shunpo was hard to maintain, especially if you were assisting someone with it. And Rukia knew she had little stamina for that. Unfortunately, neither had been in this area before so they were running around in circles until Rukia came to realize it. "What the hell?"

"Oh dear, I certainly hope that we're not lost or anything…" trailed Inoue. "I am not familiar with the area. Um… Kuchiki-san… I sense pursuers." Inoue said hesitantly, trying hard not to look back and alert whomever it was behind them.

"It's Kurosaki. And his annoying fukutaicho."

"Oh, but Ishida-kun is not annoying." Inoue remarked, "He's serious, but he's very funny too… he turns red so easily… I wonder if he has a skin condition..."

Suppressing the urge to snort or laugh, Rukia marveled at the other's naïveté.

"I mean, seriously. He has this very pale complexion," Inoue continued. "It's almost pasty; could he be allergic to the sun?"

Rukia gave her a curt look, "Just be on your guard. Unfortunately, I do not have my zanpaktuô, so we have to rely on my kido and your shun-shun rika."

Inoue smiled cheerily, holding up a fist. "Never worry! I'm sure we can easily use a karate chop to render them useless, and –

Suddenly, whatever she wanted to say would have to wait because at that moment, she bumped onto something that appeared from the corner.

"Ouch! Ouch!" cried Inoue as she fell on her bottom. She rubbed the small of her back gingerly, as she felt her muscles spasm form the jarring impact.

Quickly, Rukia was by her side. "Get up." She urged.

As Inoue looked up, she saw that it was not an object that appeared (how could it be possible, unless walls can do shunpo), but a large, bulky man who was now looking at her weirdly.

"Eh?" he slurred drunkenly. "what-a cu-cute… lit-litle… birdie…" his hand reached out to grab her, but as Inoue grimaced, Rukia intervened by standing in front of her.

"Touch her and you die." She said in a low voice.

There was a laugh from the shadows and to Rukia's surprise; there were more men that followed. To her estimation, they were probably fifteen in all. "Well, well, well." One said quite steadily "What do we have here? Entertainment?" The man said as he grabbed hold of Rukia's hand. "I'm in the mood for fun." He said as he leered at her.

Instantly, Rukia launched a painful kick to his groin. "Keep your filthy hands to yourself." She barked.

"You bitch!" snarled the man, as his companions grabbed her by the arms.

Inoue was able to regain her wits and she sprang up to kick the man whose roving hands were straying close to Rukia's posterior. However, before she could follow-through with that, another man grabbed her. "Rukia-san…" she asked.

Rukia sighed. The idiots didn't know whom they were dealing with. She initially planned on letting them easy, but since there were a lot of them and they insisted on making it more difficult, she had no choice. She would definitely have to use kidō, and Inoue needed to call out Tsubaki's Koten Zanshun attack.

"Now!" The man who was on the ground (apparently their leader) stood up. He took hold of Rukia's chin and forced her face to meet his. "That was a nasty trick. I happen to like feisty women, but you need to be taught a lesson."

"Oh, just you wait…" muttered Rukia to herself as the idiot windbag preened and puffed himself pompously. Quickly, she turned to look at Inoue.

Inoue understood. Her free hand inched up to the clip on the side of her head. Tsubaki was needed. She didn't want to hurt anyone, but these impolite men were bad to prey on the womenfolk this way. Besides, she had to watch Rukia-san's back too. "Tsu –

"You there; let the midget go."

Everyone looked up to see Kurosaki Ichigo and Ishida Uryuu step into the fight.

Shunpo was really easy for such seasoned shinigami, because in just a blink, Rukia and Inoue were now by their side; while their captors holding them were knocked down, unconscious.

"What the hell are you doing?" shouted Rukia, as she kicked Ichigo on the shin.

"Ungrateful midget! I'm saving your stupid ass!"

"My stupid ass? Isn't it obvious I can take care of myself?"

"It didn't look that way to me." Scoffed Ichigo, giving Rukia a severe glare. "Honestly, your hand-to-hand combat skills suck like hell."

"I suppose an idiot like you haven't heard about the word **Strategy** in your entire life?"

"Please, Kurosaki-kun, Rukia-san, let's not bicker." Inoue said.

Ishida gave Inoue a look of resignation. "I think it's becoming a habit for them to fight."

In the middle of the argument, the leader of the gang spoke finally. "What the fuck? Who the hell are you two? Get your own women, those are ours!"

"Stay away from this, moron!" Ichigo shouted to him as Rukia was now pulling on his hair in anger. "Let go, midget!"

Shaking his head, Ishida addressed the other man. "I'm afraid these women are not the kind of women you should be associating with. Please leave before we deal with you."

"Hell no!" the man said, irritating Ishida more. "What kind of woman goes out in the middle of the night except to get some? So give us the busty and the spitfire there dude, before we break your bones."

Ishida felt his anger escalate at hearing Inoue called 'busty.' "I warned you not to associate yourself with them." Slowly, he took out his zanpaktuô. "You leave me with no choice. On my pride –

"A tryst!" Inoue blurted out loudly. Causing everyone (even Rukia and Ichigo stop and gape at her). "We went out because of a planned tryst! Ne, Rukia-chan?" She sent Rukia a look to tell her to agree.

Quickly, Rukia removed her hand from Ichigo's orange tresses. It sounded good enough an excuse as any; in fact, it DID make a smidgen of sense. "But of course. Whatever reason other than that did we go out for?" she said, giggling coyly as she looked at Inoue and Ishida meaningfully.

The man looked at the two girls before he looked at Ichigo and Ishida. "I don't believe it."

"Believe it." Ishida seconded, stepping up to stand beside Inoue. To his surprise, she took his hand and held it tightly, as if asking for support. Instinctively, his large hand closed upon hers.

"Do you want us to prove it?" Challenged Inoue, giving the man the rudest glare she could muster.

Rukia's eyes widened slightly. "Inoue!" she hissed. That was reckless of her! What would Inoue do if the man did demand something outrageous, like she should kiss one of the two guys? Well, Ishida was closer, so he'd probably be the most logical choice. After all, Kurosaki Ichigo was farther… right? She tried to pull away to shake some senses into the other girl's head, but Kurosaki Ichigo was holding on to her arm tightly.

The man smiled leeringly after he laughed. "Then do it, missy. Kiss your sweetheart with passion. Make it good and believable."

"For the love of god!" muttered Ichigo in annoyance at the drastic turn of events, "Let's just hit the bastards and get it over with, I need some sleep."

"I accept!" Inoue said, her eyes sparking with defiance and determination.

Slowly she turned around.

Ishida stiffened. He was the one beside her, so would she be kissing him? His face turned a bit red with the idea… but… if Inoue needed his help…

He would definitely do anything for her, even act ungentlemanly and kiss a woman that was not his betrothed or sweetheart.

But Inoue walked past him towards the couple behind.

Ishida gasped. No way!

Ichigo, for his part stiffened as Inoue took hold of his hand. "Um…" he trailed uncomfortably. Her eyes were bright and fierce, as her grip was bruising. Beside him, Rukia was looking at him weirdly.

Inoue pulled his hand off Rukia's and pushed him aside.

Then, to everyone's surprise, she grabbed Rukia by her cheeks and brought her lips down hers.

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Did you actually THINK that she would kiss Ichigo?

Meh. Stay tuned for the next chapter then.

In this chapter I made changes in the requirements to be a shinigami. We know that anyone who has spiritual abilities can be shinigami; but here, there has to be a certain level reached before one can have a zanpaktuō. Obviously, though Karin and Yuzu have reiatsu, it is not enough for them to be shinigami. The kidō spells I've used for this chapter came from Wiki, okay? (Especially Hakufuku, which was used by Hinamori Momo during her escape from her cell. If the anime is to be used as reference).

Once again, I dedicate this fic to my beta: my e-dad, Kaya, my e-mom 07Janina07, and my e-sister CooWings. Likewise, I'd like to introduce new members of my family: my e-great-great-grandmother, Bunnisteffi, her twin (my e-great-great-grand aunt Laurie B.), and my e-godmother/aunt MitsukaiMizuno!


	5. Chapter 5

Heart's Desire Chapter 5 Heart's Desire Chapter 5By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13). The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

No; this is not a Yuri or Yaoi chapter! Neither is this a songfic.

This is a serious chapter that was made to address many questions that were left unanswered for the past four chapters. Like: is Inoue a lesbian? **Laughs **Good lord people! I wanted to write something nice that is still In-Character for Inoue that time. At any rate, it was really fun to write the previous crack chapters. I kinda miss it after writing this AU plus an angsty piece that I may post sometime soon. As I told **Kaya**, my beta reader, so many reacted to that kiss. I so wanted Inoue to kiss Ishida too… but it was too fun to let her and Rukia get some 'action' here. Read more below, okay?

A warning though: **this chapter is serious**. It will deal more about the 'back story' of Kuchiki Rukia. Thus, she's a bit O-OC here - just a bit.

I mean it. You'll crash from your crack-high.

Are you so sure you want to continue?

Don't say I didn't warn you….

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_For the love of god!" muttered Ichigo in annoyance at the drastic turn of events, "Let's just hit the bastards and get over with it. I need some sleep."_

"_I accept!" Inoue said, her eyes sparking with defiance and determination._

_Slowly she turned around._

_Ishida stiffened. He was the one beside her, so would she be kissing him? His face turned a bit red with the idea… but… if Inoue needed his help…_

_He would definitely do anything for her, even act ungentlemanly and kiss a woman that was not his betrothed or sweetheart._

_But Inoue walked past him towards the couple behind._

_Ishida gasped. No way!_

_Ichigo, for his part stiffened, as Inoue took hold of his hand. "Um…" he trailed uncomfortably. Her eyes were bright and fierce, as her grip was bruising. Beside him, Rukia was looking at him weirdly._

_Inoue pulled his hand off Rukia's and pushed him aside._

_Then, to everyone's surprise, she grabbed Rukia by her cheeks and brought her lips down hers._

…

…

…

What in the name of Soul Society was going on? Rukia thought to herself as Inoue enthusiastically pulled her face up to kiss her. Somewhere, (and she really wasn't sure EXACTLY where) someone was whimpering in surprise at what they were seeing. Really now, if she was able too, she would done so as well!

Inoue's hands were digging into her cheeks, but Rukia was too shell-shocked to decipher its meaning. Suddenly, Rukia felt Inoue's teeth against her lips. Those sensations made her gasp; okay, so she was NOT that much of a prude. Rukia had been kissed before, the first was by a man in the 13th division, but to be kissed by a girl was a totally novel –

_**WHAT THE FREAKING HOLLOWS!**_ Inoue was using her tongue!

…

…

…

Ishida whimpered, as his mind becoming really blank. Inoue-san… was kissing… a girl… Suddenly, he felt like fainting, like his knees were unable to support his entire weight. Apparently, he was not the only one. Right at that moment, Kurosaki Ichigo's face was as red as a kidō blast, with his jaws slack open – obviously dazed. Not many people can strike down his Taicho dumb, but with Inoue-san's passionate kissing session with Kuchiki-san, the girl can definitely add her name to the short list.

Ishida felt relieved that the gods were still merciful: Inoue wasn't making those noises – yet. If she did, there would be no accounting for the body count from the fatal blood loss.

Suddenly, Inoue pulled away from Rukia's lips and turned to face the men, smiling as she asked sweetly "Well? Is that not proof enough?"

It was only polite to answer, but most of the men were too busy wiping the blood that was flowing through their noses. "Um…" the leader managed to croak out, face burning red. "Yeah… uh… well now… that was… kinda hot…"

"Thank you." Inoue said brightly as she placed a hand on top of Rukia's shoulder. "That's why we're just not interested. I hope you guys understand."

"Totally." The man gushed, adoration written in his face. The look he gave the two women was certainly beatific. Then he turned to Ichigo and Ishida, "So… are the two of you…"

Ichigo stared at Ishida when the implications hit him "GROSS, NO!" he screamed vehemently, moving even farther away from his Fukutaicho as possible. "I don't swing that way!" he insisted as he gave Ishida a dark glare.

Regaining his wits, Ishida murmured irritably, "I am wholly insulted with the idea." Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he motioned to Rukia. "That dark-haired lady there is my sister and she sneaked out of the house. I was sent to retrieve her. The other lady is my friend's cousin. I'm sure you can figure things out."

The man nodded enthusiastically, still looking at the women. "Yeah, I can see it, dude." He cleared his throat before resuming, his face still burning red "Well, I guess we'll go now. Sorry 'bout that ladies," he told the two enthusiastically. "I'm all for homosexuality in Seiretei… just so you know. Hope you don't get into trouble. If you need our help, feel free to drop by."

"How wonderful," chimed Inoue happily, gracing the men with an enchanting smile that only served to make them blush all the more. "It's not good to bottle up your true nature, you know? Take care, okay guys?"

The others murmured, blushing red and waving like teenagers as they slowly made their way. But not without sneaking admiring glances back at them again.

"Well then, see! All's well ends well!" the buxom 'lesbian' remarked cheerfully as she faced the two men of the 14th division, proud of her achievements. "Plus, no fighting was done. I'm so glad!"

An embarrassed and flushed Rukia, who spent most of the time looking at the ground, murmured, "You've been spending WAY too much time with Chizuru, Inoue. I see that she corrupted your thinking." At the back of her mind, Rukia prayed that her Nii-sama would not get wind of this, because she was really going to get it. Gods above, what would Aizen-Taicho say?

Laughing, Inoue looked back at her friend, "Chizuru said guys love that thing." With that, she turned to the two men hopefully. "Well? Did you?" she asked, leaning closer to Ichigo.

Ichigo made a choking noise that sounded something like "What the hell," while Ishida was just silent. Both were red-faced however and were currently glancing somewhere else. It was quite obvious that the three were still reeling from the recent events. After all, it wasn't everyday when you get to see two equally attractive woman exchange saliva in the most provocative way.

"But you know," Inoue said thoughtfully as her brows furrowed in concentration, "Rukia-san really has the softest lips ever. And she always smells like jasmine; plus her skin is sooooo soft." She eyed her friend contemplatively. "I think I understand now why those men line up at Kuchiki-sama's front door for your hand. I can even understand why some try to grope you, Rukia-san. If I liked girls, I would have done the same too!" A thought suddenly struck Inoue and she gasped. "Oh dear!" she cried, grabbing Rukia by her shoulders "We must make sure you're thoroughly protected from such men! Well… I suppose I can try and kiss you again if they get too fresh, but Chizuru might get weird ideas and invite us to an orgy –

"Inoue-san…" murmured Ishida, busy trying to wipe something from the bottom of his nose. "Please…"

"God, you two are weird!" Ichigo exclaimed, recovering from his stupor and has then resumed sending his captive an evil look.

Rukia gave the orange-haired Taicho a glare. "Please! Like you couldn't get enough of the performance!" she scoffed. "Dare I ask if it turned you on?" she asked slyly.

Blustering and flailing about, a red-faced Ichigo waved his hands in front of him madly. "Don't delude yourself, midget; it just caught me by surprise! Besides, nothing about you would turn me on!" Then he frowned as he once again grabbed the noble's arm. "You're still in hot water, and you know that."

Inoue clapped her hand against her forehead. "Goodness, Rukia-san, we were supposed to be escaping, right? Oh dear, our plan's shot – and it was a pretty clever one too!"

"I'm sorry to hear that, Inoue-san." Ishida said, wondering just how she forgot about such a thing. "However, we have to take you back."

"Yeah. And I have to throw this troublemaker into our division's jail cell." Ichigo added as he tightened his hold around Rukia's. "This time, I'll PERSONALLY oversee that you won't escape again."

Rukia shot him a look. "Right, sure. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe it'll come true." Then she gave Ichigo her creepiest smile. "I'll let you in on a secret, Taicho…" she said coyly.

"Shut up."

"Ishida Fukutaicho!" Rukia called out, undeterred by the Taicho's behavior.

"Yes, Kuchiki-san?"

"Inoue's a better kisser than most men."

It was a wonder that the 14th division's Fukutaicho did not faint.

…

…

…

Kuchiki Rukia's change in accommodations came as no surprise to the people in Ichigo's division.

"I didn't know that your men were complete idiots, Taicho." Tatsuki commented wryly as she and the others stood a good distance outside Rukia's cell. At Ichigo's orders, Rukia and Inoue were transferred to the 14th division's special holding cell in order to prevent another attempt of escape. "How was it that no one thought of comparing love letters? Or even ordering in, instead of leaving their barracks? Besides, WHY would you give out free drinks if you weren't going to join them anyway?"

"I DIDN'T give out free drinks." Ichigo stressed angrily. "SOMEONE forged my handwriting and 'borrowed' my seal for their own nefarious purposes." His tone was adamant on implicating who it was that he ought to blame. It was unfair, really. He hardly got drunk, and yet, here he was, saddled with the drinking tab of nearly a quarter of his division.

"That hakufuku was really powerful." Mizuiro said, as he eyed the Kuchiki noble. Due to the fact that her powers were drained, she was wearing a white inner kimono and was barefooted. "I know it was a blow for our division, but Ichigo, you should have at least tried to give her a yukata and some tabi at least.

Sado looked back at the others. "Let us go now. We still have a lot to do, overseeing the repairs in the Eastern wall."

"Go on ahead." Ichigo said as he still eyed Rukia who sat on a chair with her back facing them.

"She's not going to escape this time, Taicho." Keigo said, amused. "It's not like she has enough reiatsu to –

"Let's go." Sado said as he led the other out. "We'll go on to the Eastern wall first." He told their Taicho who was too lost in his thoughts.

Ichigo observed the noble who sat quietly, obviously contemplating on a new idea to get out. From the corner of his eye, he could see Inoue Orihime look at her friend nervously. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she wanted to say something that had been bothering her for a while. Ichigo was very interested to know what it was, but as he was already seen, there was no way the two would talk now.

"Ichi-nii…"

Quickly, Ichigo turned around to find Yuzu behind him.

"Here are the clothes you asked for." She said, handing her brother a bundle of neatly folded clothing. "I also brought a spare yukata and bedding for Inoue-san. Can I give it to her?" At her brother's consent, Yuzu walked to Inoue Orihime. "Inoue-san…"

"Oh hello, Yuzu-san!" Inoue greeted cheerfully. "Sorry about what happened last night."

"Oh, don't mention it." Yuzu smiled, "I really don't mind."

As the two continued to talk, Ichigo stalked to Rukia's cell. "Oi." He called out. However, the other did not seem to hear him, or was ignoring him. "Oi, Kuchiki Rukia. It's generally considered impolite to ignore someone speaking to you. "

Finally, Rukia turned to look at him, her face expressing nothing, Kuchiki's poker face back in place. Ichigo found, to his surprise that the look on her face was something he did not like seeing. "Midget." He said snidely, hoping to provoke her into retorting. "These are Yuzu's, I doubt if you'll fit in anyone's clothing without Ishida altering them."

Still wearing the infuriatingly blank expression, Rukia simply replied, "Thank you. Please put them down" before she turned back to the small barred window to watch the dust particles illuminated by the shaft of sunlight that skirted its way in her cell.

"You're not getting out again, midget." He said roughly. "There is no way in Hueco Mundo that I will let you."

Rukia remained silent.

Her reaction provoked Ichigo into anger. She was ignoring him! She was supposed to be shouting at him, and hurtling expletives after expletives. He scowled and looked at her back. Her hair was parted to the side, showing off her pale and skinny neck. From the hem of her kimono, he could see the sharp bones of her wrists and ankles standing out. She never looked as small as she did now. Her skin was so fair that any small bruise would stand out immediately; her body seemed vulnerable and fragile, that a single backhand would break her body.

Ichigo sighed. "I'll have someone send you food." Without waiting for her reply, he pushed his body to move to the door. "Yuzu. We're going now."

"Hai." His sister replied. Before he slipped out of the door, Ichigo turned back to get another glimpse of Rukia who remained motionless.

Then the hall was silent again.

"Rukia-san…" Inoue whispered.

"Not now." Came her curt reply.

"But your shoulder…! You pulled a muscle when Kurosaki-taicho brought you back here."

Rukia continued to look out the window. It seemed to be near noon by now, judging from the amount of sunlight that was receding from her small cell. Rukia wondered what Hueco Mundo was like now. In that desert of a wasteland where there was no sun, how does her brother fare? Perhaps Renji was being a pain once again, causing her brother to hold on even more tightly to his cold expression.

How was Ukitake Taicho? Were Kiyone-san and Sentaro-san annoying him further? She hopes that her Taicho wasn't over-exerting himself and becoming sick. Ukitake Taicho was strong, but his illness was putting a damper on his potential. The last time she saw him fight was when…

It was a long time ago, when she was just shy of a decade in his division. It was an experience Rukia wanted so much to forget.

Rukia instinctively dug into the pockets of her kimono to remove the snow globe. How was Aizen Taicho doing? Was he alright and safe? Was he wounded terribly?

Did he know that she was captured by Kurosaki Taicho?

Rukia's mouth tightened. She had to escape now and head off to the 13th division. It was the only way she could protect Kurosaki's family from the effects of Kurosaki Ichigo's momentary lapse of intellect.

"Rukia-san." Inoue said softly. "If I don't heal you now…"

Inoue knew that Rukia was planning on another escape. But with her injury, she would be unable to fully utilize her fighting abilities. Not at the moment especially when her reiatsu was extremely low. If she had to be healed, it was now. Besides, the others already are aware of her healing abilities – not the ones that she was still hiding.

She saw Rukia close her eyes briefly before she looked intently at the snow globe. Her attention was focused fully on the swirling white stuff around the small castle. Inoue knew that she was, without a doubt, thinking about Aizen Taicho. She wondered if maybe the noble was planning on going to Hueco Mundo to follow the man she was betrothed to. Perhaps she missed him terribly.

"Ayame, Shun'o. Soten Kisshun, I reject!"

Rukia gasped, as the familiar yellow glow of Inoue's abilities cover her shoulder. "Inoue!"

"They are aware of this ability, Rukia-san." Inoue defended, her eyes looking intensely at her friend.

"But do they know that the death stone cannot sap your powers away?" Rukia asked sternly, in a tone that was all Kuchiki, all business. "Do not give them the chance to discover your powers, Inoue. Remove this immediately."

"Ayame, Shun'o."

Quickly, the two fairies complied, returning back to the clips in Inoue's hair. "Gomen, Rukia-san…" she whispered "I was only concerned about you."

"I understand, Inoue. Just be careful next time. Do not act rashly. They might separate us if you do and we will have an even hard time escaping."

Inoue looks down forlornly at her feet.

…

…

…

"That freaking Ichigo, hiding Nee-san away from me." Kon muttered angrily as he kicked the dust with his plushie feet. "Nee-san and I could have been so happy together. We could have spent a lot of evenings watching the stars or talking until the sun went up… Nee-san…" he whined petulantly. "Nee-san…"

Suddenly, there was the sound of rustling dead leaves from behind him.

"Gyah!" shouted Kon as he jumped a good three feet into the air.

In front of him was a sleek black cat, looking at him in disapproval. "What?" Kon shouted. "You scared me, what did you expect me to do? Break out into a song and dance number?"

The cat stepped closer and raised a clawed paw.

Kon's sweat dropped. "_Oreta awai tsubasa… Kimi wa sukoshi… Aosugiru sora ni tsukareta dake sa… Mou dareka no tame ja nakute… Jibun no tame ni waratte ii yo…_" he garbled nervously, miming holding a microphone as he swung his stuffed-cotton body sideways to the lazy beat of the song.

The black cat bared its fangs at the plushie and hissed.

"Ichigo!" cried Kon, as he dashed into the manor as fast as he could. "Save me, Ichigo!!"

…

…

…

Mizuiro looks down from the doorway. "Ah, Yoruichi-san!" he greets happily. "Long time no see!"

Yoruichi nods, stretching its feline body in an attempt to get the kinks out of the used muscles. "It was a tiring trip, Mizuiro."

"Aa. Well, I'll have someone bringing milk and grilled tuna for you, okay?"

"That will be appreciated. So, where's Ichigo?"

Mizuiro smiles as he opens the door wider. "Training his men. I swear he's such in a bad mood today, so I'm glad you dropped by." Without further ado, he stepped aside to let the cat in. "I'll bring him over, I hope you can wait."

"Don't have to." Ichigo said from behind them. He stood there, red-faced and sweaty from a recent sparing match, no doubt. "I was told of the arrival of a black cat by Ishida."

"As usual, your senses are duller than a rusty knife. I'm embarrassed to hear you call yourself my protégé." Yoruichi sneered in a throaty voice, looking at the Taicho up and down and in disapproval. "How you became a Taicho with only such minimal abilities continues to astound me."

Ichigo glared at the black cat as he stepped in, heading straight for the nearest chair. "Bull. You're the one who called me 'Your Protégé' first, so don't go blaming me if you don't find my efforts and achievements to your liking. I'm as fast as you are, stronger, AND I have a big-ass zanpaktuô. Why wouldn't they –

"Me thinks you compensate your zanpaktuô size for your small –

"YORUICHI!"

"- brain?" Chuckled Yoruichi, pleased to have elicited such a predictable reaction from the younger man so easily. "Ichigo, you prude. You act like a maiden virgin. Or have you become a monk all of a sudden?"

"Shut up, Yoruichi!" hollered Ichigo, as he stood up in a hurry, his face red as a beet. "Do you mind NOT commenting on my sex life?"

"Or the lack of it." Added Mizuiro. "Unless Ichigo Taicho is good at sneaking women in regularly, I'll say he's abstaining indefinitely, or he's being self-sufficient."

Ichigo gave his subordinate and friend a black glare. "If you value your life, Mizuiro, you'd shut up." He gritted out, grabbing the other by his kimono.

"It was just a joke, Taicho…" Mizuiro said in an attempt on placating the anger of the taller man.

Yoruichi sighed in annoyance before it jumped and gave the Taicho a bash on the head "Enough of that. Kisuke is aware of your predicament. He says, it was expected."

"Expected?" Ichigo burst out angrily, "I'm now in deep shit and he says it's EXPECTED? Didn't he say that everything would be okay if I follow –?"

"DID he?" Yoruichi asked pointedly, licking a black paw languidly as she focused calculating eyes on the Taicho. "If I may recall, Kisuke's exacts words were…

"_So see, Kurosaki-kun, just follow the steps of my plan – which you BEGGED me to share, if I may remind you – to the letter, and it'll be just fine, since we'll all get what we want." Urahara Kisuke said jovially, as he fanned his face industriously. "Now… where did I put that old sock of mine… Yoruichi-san, have you been using it as a security blanket again?"_

"I don't think he said it will be alright – just that we'll all get what we want…"

"What _**WE**_ want?" echoed Ichigo, "What the hell does Urahara want anyway?"

Mizuiro watched the entire scene unfolding. His mind was taking leaps and bounds just trying to figure out what it was that the two were trying to discuss. Why would Urahara help Ichigo indeed? That was the question Ishida pondered in private as well. He knew Kurosaki Masaki was a good friend of that exiled shinigami and Yoruichi, but was it all just for that? No indeed; there has got to be something behind it all.

"The usual, like what everyone wants: get revenge for Masaki's death, unmask a bastard Taicho, protect your division, and marry you off to Kuchiki Rukia. No big deal, really."

There was a moment of terse silence as Ichigo and Mizuiro looked blankly at Yoruichi; who was by now, lying on her belly contentedly. Mizuiro was the first to blink while the orange-haired Taicho was still gaping like a fish out of water.

"Kurosaki-dono and Urahara-san WANTS Ichigo Taicho to marry Kuchiki Rukia?"

"Summing it up… Yes." Yoruichi said bluntly, stretching contentedly, aware that Ichigo was looking so damn uncomfortable by the minute.

"What?" Ichigo croaked. His face turned pale for a moment before it started to color up fiercely. Soon, the bright flush of red spread not only across his cheeks, but also up his forehead to the back of his neck.

Mizuiro wondered if it was from embarrassment or anger when Ichigo gave out a hoarse bellow –

"I'm Gonna ….What?"

…

…

…

"How long have they been discussing in there?" whinned Keigo. "I wanna know what they're talking about too! How predictable of them to leave us out on a loop."

Tatsuki angrily shoved Keigo aside to shut him up. "Mizuiro, are you SURE Yoruichi said that Ichigo should marry Kuchiki Rukia?"

"It's all true, Tatsuki-chan. I may be over 50, but that doesn't mean my hearing is going down already."

From his crumpled position on the floor, Keigo sobbed, "Why? Why does it seem that Ichigo has all the luck? He's going to marry Kuchiki-san…"

"Ichigo did look pretty surprised, you know." Mizuiro said. "I'm not sure how he'll handle this."

"Please." Scoffed Ishida, as he pushed up his glasses against the bridge of his nose "He's been looking at Kuchiki-san more than what is considered normal…

"Ichigo never said anything about him liking Kuchiki-san, Ishida." Sado said, "Maybe you're over-analyzing things."

Tatsuki cleared her throat, "Enough about Ichigo; what about Kuchiki-san? Doesn't she have a say on this? Besides, she's set to marry Aizen, so she won't be exactly thrilled to be shackled with Ichigo. Well," she mused in good-humor, "I don't think any woman would be pleased to be shackled to our Taicho."

Snorting, Keigo looked up at the only high-ranking female shinigami in Ichigo's division. "Just because you don't find him attractive, doesn't mean other women feel the same." At the other's surprised look, Keigo scoffed "You weren't there when Ichigo was mobbed by his fangirls outside his office last month. He had to shunpo every time he went out to avoid being mauled and groped by hormonal, eager, sexually depraved women." There was an envious look in his eyes as he sobbed. "They literally shredded his gi when they tried to grab him. How come I never get that kind of treatment?"

Mizuiro smiled "Well you do, Keigo. Only they're not after you because they think you're hot; they're after your blood because you're a dirty pervert."

Keigo whimpered "What kind of friend are you, Mizuiro?"

"A Honest one, obviously."

"Well I don't SEE Kurosaki's charms." Ishida said dryly. "Do you think shinigami women need prescription lenses?"

Beside him, Tatsuki snorted. "If you said you saw Ichigo's 'charms,' I'd be more surprised."

…

…

…

"For God's sake, what the hell were you thinking to suggest such a thing?" Shouted Ichigo as he punched his father on the face "There is no way in Hueco Mundo will I marry that noble!"

Isshin sprang up and sent Ichigo to the side with a spinning kick. "Idiot! Do you want to go to jail? If you marry Rukia-chan, you'll only have to go against Aizen. If her brother and Taicho vouch for you, then Central 46 won't throw you in jail or execute you for treason!"

Angrily, Ichigo wiped the blood from his mouth. "Asshole! You set me up with Urahara." He accused his father. "What kind of inconsiderate moron would sell out his son, huh?"

"The one who cares for an idiot!" Countered Isshin. Suddenly, he ran to his wife's memorial poster. "Oh, Masaki! Masaki! I tried my best to be the perfect father! Was I doomed to be a failure with Ichigo in the first place?"

Ichigo grabbed his father by the collar of his robes and hurled him across the room "Bastard! You're the one ruining my life! If the Central 46 sentences me to death, it will all be on your head goat chin!"

Amused at the cozy father-son 'bonding' moment, Yoruichi lazily lapped at the pan of full-cream milk in front of her before muttering: "By marrying Kuchiki Rukia, Bya-kun wouldn't have any influence over his sister anymore. He also wouldn't side against you during the inquest and maybe he can even vouch for you. He's a Kuchiki; they're hell-bent on reputation and social standing. Of course, it also means rules and regulations are more important to him than family, so there's a possibility that he won't." she shrugged. "At any rate, Byakuya's out of your hair. As for Ukitake, well, if Rukia would just say that it was her decision to marry you, he'll side with you, both against any inquest and Aizen of course. It's a WIN-WIN situation, if you ask me."

"For whom?" sneered Ichigo, "Old pervert here?"

Behind Ichigo, Isshin sprinted and landed a kick at his son's backside, sending him to the ground a few feet away. "Your guard was done, fool! How do you expect to protect Rukia-chan if you can't marry her?"

"Possibly because I WON'T." Ichigo retorted from the floor.

"Ichigo." Isshin said, in a voice that was far too serious. "I made a promise to take care of Kuchiki Rukia before. Are you to deprive me the chance to pay me debt to her mother?"

"Eh?" Ichigo asked.

Isshin looked at his son who was still seated on the floor. "Son, I owe Rukia's mother a blood debt. If it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be alive today. Call Ishida, tell him to bring Rukia-chan here."

…

…

…

So it was nearly half an hour later that Kuchiki Rukia was once again brought into the walls of the Kurosaki home by his puzzled fukutaicho. If Rukia was likewise confused by the sudden development, she showed no indication as Ishida led her into a comfortable chair. However, she was now wearing the clothing that Yuzu provided for her.

From behind the door left ajar, the rest of Ichigo's high-ranked subordinates looked on curiously through the small gap. Glaring at Ishida, Ichigo motioned for him to step out before he closed the door in their disappointed faces.

"Rukia-chan!" Isshin cried out dramatically. "Are you well? You don't look fine to me."

"It's nothing, Kurosaki-dono." She assured him "I'm just surprised to be here."

Ichigo looked at his father. "Now explain it, old man, why you owe her mother a blood debt." He then glanced at the noble in disdain. "Like any Kuchiki would go out of their way to assist people."

Though she was silent, Rukia gave Ichigo a 'you-are-so-dead' glare that spoke volumes.

Isshin turned to Rukia. "Rukia-chan… your parents…"

"They're not my real parents." Rukia spoke, hoping to set the record straight.

As Ichigo had a surprised look on his face, relief was visible in Isshin's "How did you figure it out."

"They told me." She said. "Just in case I had questions, they wanted to come clean about it. Hisana-san was my sister."

Isshin nodded. "Did you… know how your real parents… died, Rukia-chan?" he asked quietly. For all he knew, Hisana might have kept it hidden from her, to protect her from the truth.

Rukia sat silently for a while. She sat stiffly on the chair. Partially due to the pain on her shoulder, the other due to the uncomfortable topic. Outwardly, she showed no emotion, but silently, she felt her body go numb and a cold feeling grip her tightly by the neck. "They were murdered. They also tried to kill Hisana-san and me, but she was able to grab me and escape."

"Did she tell it to you herself?" Isshin asked gently.

"No." Rukia said, "Nii-sama… He gave me a letter from Hisana-san the day after she died. It was all too painful for her to say personally, so she decided to write it instead."

_**Hisana plowed on, moving as fast as her legs was capable of. Around her, the wind was bitterly cold; winter was especially hard this time at Seiretei. As she felt her muscles tremble in the cold, Hisana gripped the bundle that was her little sister. At two years of age, Rukia was surprisingly small and quiet, a blessing since they were running from the unknown man who murdered her parents just recently.**_

_**There was no time to lose; her father had instructed her to flee to the 14**__**th**__** division with Rukia, seek the help of Kurosaki Isshin Taicho, and to give him some books that were handed to him by the former Taicho Urahara for safe keeping. Hisana gritted her teeth as she continued to run, carrying only two things that her father deemed as important. She must not fail. Despite the white cloak she wore to somewhat hide her form in the snowy landscape, Hisana knew that she could be found easily – especially if that pursuer was a shinigami. **__**She had enough awareness of reiatsu to know that this one was a powerful one, perhaps a third seat or fukutaicho at that. **_

_**Worriedly, Hisana hugged her sister closer. Rukia was quiet, too quiet that it scared her. Was her sister even breathing? She was not a strong woman, physically, but Hisana knew that these limits can be broken if the situation called for it.**_

_**This was definitely one of those rare cases.**_

_**To Hisana's horror, whoever it was that was after her was getting closer and the 14**__**th**__** division was still at least an hour and half away. Suddenly, Rukia whimpered. "No." she whispered urgently as she picked up her pace, "Go to sleep, Rukia. Go back to sleep."**_

"_**Mama." Rukia whimpered again, causing Hisana to feel as if her heart was broken in two. "Hush now, sleep and we'll see mama later."**_

_**As Hisana continued to run, she felt another reiatsu that was near, although it was in a direction away from the 14**__**th**__** division. Would she dare change her course of direction and seek the help of that person? The reiatsu seemed strong enough as well… but what if it was with the man who killed her parents? **_

_**There was no time for further thoughts, as she and Rukia desperately needed assistance. Quickly, Hisana changed the direction of her path, heading straight for that person – whoever it might be. If it was her fate to die, let it be so, yet Hisana hoped that her sister would be spared.**_

_**Running like all the hollows of Hueco Mundo were at her heels, Hisana used the last of her strength to propel her and her sister forward, not caring that the hood of her cloak flew off, causing her hair to spill wildly in all directions; not caring that her footwear snapped, causing her feet to be drenched in the cold snow; not caring that Rukia's loud cries echoed the frantic beat of her own heart; and especially not caring that her pursuer was too close behind her for comfort. "Somebody help!"**_

_**And suddenly, Rukia screamed. Hisana was jolted out of her thoughts and musings of safety to feel a sudden surge of reiatsu. "Hi-sa!" Rukia shouted again as Hisana too felt something in the air.**_

_**Shikai?**_

_**Immediately, Hisana dropped on all fours, shielding her sister from whatever attack from a zanpaktuô that may come. Instead, she saw a fireball hurl at them swiftly. Hisana screamed as her eyes flew shut.**_

"_**Chire. Zenbonsakura."**_

_**As a wall of pink shielded them from the blast of kidō, Hisana opened her eyes to see a slender man standing in front of her, his cloak and dark hair flowing in the chilly wind.**_

"If it wasn't for Nii-sama, we wouldn't have made it." Rukia whispered quietly, looking at her lap."We stayed at the 6th division then. Nii-sama married Hisana-san and I was adopted by his parents who lived in a different part of Seiretei.

Isshin reached out to take hold of Rukia's hand as it clenched her knees. "Your mother was once a high-ranking shinigami of the 4th division, Rukia-chan; while your father was the curator of Seiretei's document archives. They were good people, and if it wasn't for your mother, Masaski and Ichigo might have died in labor."

The words made Rukia look up to meet Isshin's eyes. "Why are you telling me this?" she asked.

In his seat, Ichigo gazed at his father in surprise. This was something he had never heard before. Surprisingly, his usually goofy father was so serious and earnest; it was unsettling him.

"Because I told your father that I would do anything to return the favor and protect the life of his children. I was unable to help you the night your parents were murdered, Rukia. So please, let me help you now. Let my son protect you from Aizen."

Rukia shook her head. "Kurosaki-dono; I am betrothed to Aizen Taicho. He is a just man –

"He's a murderer." Ichigo snarled. "How many times do I have to tell you about that? He only wants you to think that he's this honorable person when he's not!"

Without flinching, Rukia met his glare head-on. "I have no reason to doubt him. What would he gain from marrying me? My Ni-sama's fortune?" she retorted angrily. "Until I see a reason and until I find evidence that he is not to be trusted, I will not be swayed. I am sorry, Kurosaki-dono. I decline whatever protection –

"I was going to ask you to give your hand to Ichigo in Holy Matrimony." Mused Isshin.

"FUCK!" shouted an angry Ichigo, "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not marrying that midget!"

"Like I would…" Scoffed Rukia. "I'd take my chances on Aizen Taicho, if you don't mind. At least there's a decent shot of my kids being geniuses."

"Yeah and all of them would be tyrants and murderers." Ichigo countered acidly.

"Well, but would they be good-looking?" Isshin insisted, smiling as he struck a pose. "With me and Masaki's genes, you won't go wrong, Rukia-chan!"

"Aizen-Taicho happens to be VERY good-looking." Rukia said dryly. "And Nii-sama is Seiretei's most desirable bachelor shinigami for 8 consecutive years."

Ichigo scoffed, "You aren't even related by blood!"

"Between me and Aizen-Taicho, our kids would be **BOTH **smart and good-looking." Gritted Rukia, as if she was not rudely shot down by the Taicho's scathing comment "They would be paragons of grace, have razor-sharp minds, AND they wouldn't run full-tilt without a plan they came up on their own!"

"What the hell?"

"I heard from Keigo." Tittered Rukia, enjoying the fact that she was not only angering, but embarrassing him as well "See, I KNEW something was wrong with you; you're a complete idiot."

Ichigo sneered, "Well good luck with Aizen making your children 'good-looking.' You need it!"

Rukia smiled triumphantly "There, you see?" she told Isshin, "We are simply incompatible. And Isshin-dono, I really wouldn't marry anyone who isn't even attracted to me."

Isshin broke out in another round of crying as he latched himself on his, telling him to confess the extent of his affection and devotion to the Kuchiki noblewoman. His son on the other hand was preoccupied trying to get his father to let go of his haori.

"You really have no choice in this matter, Kuchiki Rukia."

The three turned to see Yoruichi, who had just finished her milk, licking her paws lazily.

Rukia stared at Yoruichi for a moment, remaining silent and motionless… until…

"The c-c-cat is t-t-talking!"

"Why the surprised look? Is this the first time you saw a talking cat?" Yoruichi inquired as she stalked over to the other woman before she slumped beside her on the large armrest of the chair.

Isshin dashed to Rukia. "That's Yoruichi, a friend of mine and Ichigo's godmother! She used to go by the name Shihouin Yoruichi-sama, Commander of the Secret Mobile Corps, Goddess of Flash, and The AMAZING TALKING CAT when she joined the traveling circus more than 10 years ago."

A vein throbbed along Yoruichi's head. "Must you bring that up, Isshin?"

"What?" Isshin asked, appalled. "But you were the star of the circus, Yoruichi; I remember you singing that song… what was that title again?" he mused, deep in his thoughts.

An enraged Yoruichi jumped off the chair to hit Isshin right on the left eye. "You idiot! How many times have I told you never to mention it ever?"

"A TALKING CAT!"

"Will you stop that, Kuchiki!" snarled Yoruichi.

"Um… Yes… Ma'am…" she replied hesitantly, as if gauging the chances of a painful death impaled by sharp claws and insisting that the whole thing was weird. Well, life won over pride, so it seemed.

"As I was saying," Yoruichi continued. "I'm afraid you don't have any more option other than marrying Ichigo."

"Excuse me?"

"We have reason to believe that whoever it was that murdered your parents may be after you."

"I have nothing of value from my parents; the books were already given to the library archives."

Yoruichi glared at Rukia "You're the only living witness, Rukia. Do you not remember anything?"

In her chair, Rukia thought carefully about that fateful night. "I remember feeling scared and paralyzed. I couldn't move or breathe…"

"You got hit by someone's reiatsu."

"Yoruichi-san, there is no way that I can remember that person! I was only two years old." Argued Rukia as she shook her head, "Even if I did, I never felt it again."

"Think carefully. Do you think Taichos and Fukutaichos release their zanpaktuôs without permission?" Yoruichi drawled, focusing her eyes on the noblewoman. "Unless there are special wartime orders, the only time you can feel intense reiatsu is when engaging against a hollow. Or," she added meaningfully as she eyed at Ichigo "If you're like HIM and you can't control your reiatsu properly that your zanpaktuô is always in shikai form."

A surprised Ichigo gave the cat an angry look "Hey, I'm still here!" he snarled.

"Please, Rukia-chan," Isshin said pleadingly. "Let Ichigo protect you; marry him."

"Kurosaki-dono, your son can 'protect' me without him marrying me."

Isshin scratched his head. "Well… I really didn't want to say…but… remember when I said that me and your father were friends?" he asked sheepishly, "Well, when you were born, we kinda told each other that we'd marry you off to each other…"

Both Ichigo and Rukia sprang up in shock.

"Old man, stop it already!" gritted Ichigo, "I've had enough of your corny jokes."

"Hisana-san said no such thing!"

"You better show them the contract, Isshin. We're dealing with two doubting Thomases here."

Excitedly, Isshin dug into the sleeves of his haori enthusiastically. "Hmm… where… where…" he murmured as he pulled out a small book of poems; a pair of silver chopsticks; a small packet of catnip – which he promptly threw to Yoruichi; a yellow rubber duckie –

"Hmm…"

As the others watched, Isshin brought out a poster of Masaki; another poster of Masaki; and an assortment of things.

"Hold this, will you?" Isshin muttered as he handed his son a small plastic bag of goldfishes before he pulled out a spatula. "I know it's in here… somewhere…"

Bemused, Ichigo peered at the goldfish in disbelief as Rukia sat back and yawned daintily.

"AHA!"

Triumphantly, Isshin thrust the rolled, yellow parchment to Rukia, who wasted no time in unfurling it.

It was stated that Kurosaki Ichigo would be married to Fujiwara Rukia when both were adults and the fathers of both children signed the said contract. Urahara Kisuke and Shihouin Yoruichi witnessed it.

Rukia glared at Ichigo as if it was his fault before she looked at Isshin, "I'm sorry, but as I am adopted by the Kuchiki clan, that does not make me a Fujiwara anymore. So, I cannot marry your son."

"Ah, Rukia-chan; I didn't know that you do not take stock on promises!" sobbed Isshin as he gave the other piteous looks. "All I wanted was the best for my old friend's daughter! Why do you deprive me of my chance to prove my loyalty –

"She already said no." Ichigo countered icily, as he looked at the parchment. "Why must you insist?"

"What if I tell you that we suspected that it was Aizen's doing, would you agree?"

Rukia turned sharply to face Yoruichi. Enraged, she frowned even more; but she was able to reign in her temper by clenching her fists tightly. "First, you tell me Aizen-Taicho murdered Masaki-san; now you say that he may have been responsible for the murder of my real parents. Why do you implicate Aizen-Taicho that much? Your reasons for doing so are highly suspicious."

"Why you…" Ichigo growled in annoyance.

Yoruichi chuckled, "Relax, Ichigo. She's on her guard. I see you haven't lost your head, Kuchiki. I'm glad you don't accept everything at face value; but as of the moment, the proof we need still eludes us." She said ruefully. "Unfortunately, YOU are the link we have been looking for all these years; you're the one who can find the murderer."

Uncertainly, Rukia wondered that if THEY were the murderers, she would be in danger even more. "I am not marrying Kurosaki Ichigo." She said with conviction. "If you will excuse me…."

Yoruichi looked at Isshin.

"Rukia-chan."

Rukia turned to face the former Taicho of the 14th. He reached out and gave her something from the sleeves of his haori.

Wordlessly, she took the parcel, wondering how it fit in the pockets in the first place.

"Masaki made that a long time ago. We were supposed to give it to your mother before she and your father were found murdered. Please take it; it belongs to you."

As Rukia bowed and took her leave, Ichigo glared at him darkly.

"Talk to her, Ichigo." Yoruichi spoke as she looked at the Taicho whom she watched grow up.

"I am not going to convince her to change her mind, Yoruichi." He said as he leaned back in his chair. "I'm not marrying her either."

"You of all people know what it feels to lose someone you love." Yoruichi said. "She has never known her real parents and now she'll feel that pain for the first time. Even a Kuchiki has limits to handle emotional pain."

For a moment, Ichigo said nothing. He just stared at the patterns on the carpet. It was the exact carpet that he pranced around for his mother when he was younger. The exact carpet where he ran across to meet his younger sisters for the first time. The exact carpet that he and his mother danced on every weekend.

Without another word, Ichigo stood up and trended out of the room.

For a while, there was silence as Isshin and Yoruichi looked at each other. Neither one made a move to leave; contented to remain in their respective seats.

"So?" Isshin asked casually, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "That was quite a sentimental speech, Yoruichi. Are you getting soft on your dotage?"

Yoruichi scoffed. "Please. Kisuke gave me a script."

...

...

...

It was under the shade of a large apple tree that Kuchiki Rukia soon found herself. Honestly, she had no idea how she got there or when. All she remembered was that her legs moved by their own will and led her here. Stoically, she looked at the aged wrappings. Rukia debated on whether or not she should open it and play into whatever game Kurosaki and his cohorts had.

However, there was a part of her that wanted some sort of confirmation of her existence; a closure for the tragedy that separated her from her sister and landed her as a Kuchiki.

Slowly, she unraveled the coarse paper bindings without breaking it. With bated breath, she peeled of the yellowed parchment, smoothen it on impulse.

Rukia's breath was caught in her throat. It was a small portrait of her family. The people were unrecognizable – even Hisana-san, whom she remembered as a frail and sickly person with a sallow complexion and sad eyes.

The people who were in the painting were remarkably healthy-looking and happy. There was a tall, handsome man who had her eyes, and that stubborn chin. Beside him was a delicate-looking woman who had similar cheekbones and facial features as her and Hisana. She was also of a short stature and they had a similar hairstyle – right down to the stray fringe that fell to the middle of their faces – as her daughters.

It was Hisana who surprised Rukia. Her sister was in the pink of health. Her eyes were flashing with mischief and mirth that was caught in the portrait completely. Hisana was all smiles and exuberance, a far cry from the person she had been later in life. As she peered into the beaming face of her sister, Rukia could see just what it was that caught the eye of Byakuya Nii-sama in the first place.

Suddenly, Rukia's gaze was drawn to the small infant in the middle of the group. Nestled in the arms of her mother was the younger version of her: small and rounded, wearing a miniature kimono like Hisana's and holding a teething ring to her small mouth.

Vibrant. The whole thing was vibrant. It was as if Kurosaki Masaki captured every little detail and froze them in paint.

Rukia was surprised to see moisture falling on the precious painting. Was it raining, she asked herself as she carefully wiped the liquid with trembling fingers.

Imagine her surprise when she realized that the drops of water were from her eyes. Damn it! Why in the name of all spirits was she crying anyway? It was not like she remembered them to miss them, right? As far as Rukia could remember, her family was the Kuchiki and Hisana was her sister-in-law. Byakuya Nii-sama may be aloof and cold; sometimes he may think her as a weakling incapable of fighting, but it didn't mean that he was a monster. Her parents loved her and they spoiled her like a princess before she was placed under Byakuya Nii-sama's guardianship the day Hisana-san died.

She was a Kuchiki, damn it all to hell! This was pointless to think over; it was making her throat burn menacingly. Her hand shook as she dropped the portrait like it was a hot iron rod. She was a Kuchiki! They said it didn't matter who her REAL family was. She was a Kuchiki.

Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm. Blindly, she reared back before she threw a punch to the side. She felt her fist hit a solid wall of chest before she was slammed against someone. "Don't." a voice whispered quietly. "You'll regret it if you throw that away."

There was a sound akin to that of a wounded animal that filled the air. In disdain, Rukia wondered who it was until she realized that it came from her throat. Angry at herself for this moment of weakness, she thrashed and punched Kurosaki Ichigo (she was now sure who it was) while she cried uncontrollably.

Ichigo said nothing; he just held her as she screamed like a banshee. For a woman who was trained to repress her emotions, Ichigo was certain to have glimpsed the kind of woman she was beneath that Kuchiki crap. He had seen her scream murderous obscenities, act like an enraged bull, laugh and flirt coyly; but he was never expecting to see such raw anguish from her like this. This kind of hurt was something he was familiar with.

When he saw her wept soundlessly on her knees after he followed her, Ichigo was reminded of the time his mother died. He pretty much acted the same way. Then she howled like an animal – something that he remembered himself doing. All he could do was to hold her the way his father did when he was in hysterics as well.

In truth, it was unsettling to see Kuchiki Rukia – the unflappable Kuchiki Rukia – break down like this. For whatever it was that he thought about her: annoying, stupid, headstrong, he never felt this much protectiveness or concern about her. Perhaps it was due to the fact that they went through the same generic hell; maybe because she was crying like her life depended on it; or maybe because… he just didn't want to see her this way.

Somehow, he felt really inadequate on what to tell her. Saying 'Don't worry' sounded so clinical, while mumbling 'I understand what you feel' sounded lame. Likewise, rubbing her back might look dirty if anyone saw them this way; not to mention she just might knee him in the groin again. In the end, he kept his silence and just held her as her crying turned into wracking sobs.

"Do you think Aizen-Taicho had something to do with their deaths…?" she finally spoke when she felt calm enough to talk coherently.

"Yes." He replied simply, his arms still around her shoulders.

"Why?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow; okay, so she was challenging him. This woman's loyalty was unflappable, yet he could see that she was not closed to any possibility. Grudgingly, his respect for her increased again. "Because he was after the Hyougokyu. You walked out before we could tell you that among the books Urahara gave your father, one was about the Hyougokyu."

Rukia stiffened. So, it was a possibility that all of these things were just because of the Hyougokyu. She still gave Aizen the benefit of a doubt. But if Kurosaki Ichigo was right – she would definitely give him hell to pay.

"I hope you're not thinking of acting on your own, midget." Ichigo drawled. "You can't accomplish anything on your own." He felt her push him away. "Listen to me." He said harshly as he pulled her closer, "Don't make a mistake like that. Let me handle it."

"Let go." She said stiffly. "I can take care of myself."

"Listen to me, idiot. Going against Aizen is the quickest way to die –

"IF, he is guilty."

"- stay put and let me do it." He added as if she said nothing. "My old man is going to kill me if anything happens to you. Trust me and I promise to avenge them for you."

"Why?" Rukia questioned, genuinely confused. "You're no kidō expert like me; all you do is hack and slash and –

"Let's not stain that zanpaktuô of yours with his dirty blood, shall we?"

Rukia was surprised. Did he actually think that Sode no Shirayuki had not met blood before? She was a capable fighter and a smart shinigami; how dare he insult her?

"I'll protect you, but I'm not going to marry you, midget." He added loftily.

"Only when Hueco Mundo becomes a prime tourist destination, baka Taicho."

It was ironic really that they soon found themselves joined in matrimony an hour later.

...

**C. LeShay's corner**:

Whew! This has got to be the longest chapter yet. I'm sorry for the delay; I was really swamped with work so I didn't have enough time to write this. It's also extra difficult to write serious topics after a crack chapter so this one is definitely different from the previous one.

I tried to keep them as in character as I can – just for the drama.

Once again, thanks for Kaya for being my beta reader; your suggestions and encouragement are very much appreciated.

Speaking of e-families, congratulations and best wishes to my e-aunt/ e-godmother M**itsukaiMizuno**, who will be e-married soon to **Spartan27**! Seeing as you'll invite me to the bridal e-shower, let me prepare a ahem 'suitable' gift.

Hi to e-great-great-grandmummy **Bunnisteffi, **to my e-great-great-grand aunt **Laurie B**, and to **CooWings**, my e-sister. Gosh, they've been so very supportive of this fic. Many thanks again.

And oh yeah, welcome to my e-aunt, **Amy Core**, the e-sister of my e-mommy **07Janina07 **or hereby known here as **Kyttichan**.

Meh; my brain is feeling all mushy due to pressing deadlines at work; would it be too much to ask for encouragement and reviews? Maybe it will help improve the next chapter (blackmail is the way to go).

Three guesses on who was Rukia's first kiss? Yeah, like you won't get it **snickers**. Hint: It's not Aizen, though he's already kissed her before. Don't worry; I'll try to show that scene sometime in the future…


	6. Chapter 6

Heart's Desire Chapter 5 Heart's Desire Chapter 6By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13). The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

Warning: A _**slight**_ OoC-ness in the thoughts of a slightly hormone-wracked Ichigo. Let's face it – it's supposed to be his wedding night with his attractive wife.

Oh yeah, you'll learn a lot more about Ishida's past and more about Ichigo here. That's my treat.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_I hope you're not thinking of acting on your own, midget." Ichigo drawled. "You can't accomplish anything at that level of yours." He felt her push him away. "Listen to me." He said harshly as he pulled her closer, "Don't make a mistake like that. Let me handle it."_

"_Let go." She said stiffly. "I can take care of myself."_

"_Listen to me, idiot. Going against Aizen is the quickest way to die –_

"_IF he is guilty."_

"_- stay put and let me do it." He added as if she said nothing. "My old man is going to kill me if anything happens to you. Trust me and I promise to avenge them for you." _

"_Why?" Rukia asked, genuinely confused. "You're no kidō expert like me; all you do his hack and slash and –_

"_Let's not stain that zanpaktuô of yours with his dirty blood, shall we?"_

_Rukia was surprised. Did he actually think that Sode no Shirayuki had not met blood before? She was a capable fighter and a smart shinigami; how dare he insult her?_

"_I'll protect you, but I'm not going to marry you, midget." He added loftily._

"_Only when Hueco Mundo becomes a prime tourist destination, baka Taicho."_

_It was ironic really that they soon found themselves joined in matrimony an hour later._

…

…

…

Among the residents of Soul Society, the caste system is often followed religiously. For those who lived in Rukongai; the pristine white walls of the inner part, in the land of the souls, were mainly reserved for the warrior and the noble class. Among the inhabitants of Seiretei, the four noble families and the Taichos of the Gotei 14 were considered as the highest of the elite.

However, there was one family that even if they were not as highly ranked, played a significant part in the afterlife. They were the Quincy. Their history was rooted in an embittering battle against the shinigami who disapproved with their methods of eradicating hollows instead of purifying them. For centuries, these opposing sides fought against each other bitterly and their battlefield was the realm of the living. The nature of violence between them was disturbing that both parties wished for nothing more than a stalemate or agreement to end the fighting.

It was only 500 years ago that the head of the Quincy clan who lived in Rukongai came into agreement with the Central 46. In exchange for allowing their clansmen entry to the Seiretei and the ceasing of their persecution, the Quincy – with their uncanny skill in reishi manipulation – would serve as the laity class. They were the ones who facilitated the smooth flow of reishi from the soul particles of fallen shinigami comrades and assist the kidō specialists in the cultivation of souls into hell butterflies or serving as their guides to the cycle of reincarnation. For each generation of Quincy, there were some who took on the role of implementing traditional ceremonies such as rebirth of souls in Rukongai in accordance to their soul composition, burials of shinigami, and even marriages. It was an important role, one that encompasses the boundaries between those inside the white walls to the ones scattered on the many districts around them. Dangerous was the ability of the Quincy to destroy souls completely that no one was admitted into the Central Spirit Technology Institute to be trained as a shinigami.

All except for one. Ishida Uryuu.

The prodigy of the Qunicy line whose ability to manipulate reishi and use them as a weapon was second to none. The academy scrambled to find ways to allow him entry, despite the misgivings of the Quincy elders. As a swordsman, his skill was passable, his kidō marks was above the average, but his intellect and his cautious nature was a vital part of his character strength. It was only after the 12th division came up – together with the high-ranking members of the Kidō Corps. – with a particle converter that allowed him to use his Quincy bow instead of a standard zanpaktuô that Ishida Uryuu became the first Quincy to be admitted as a shinigami.

It was not an easy road for him; as Ishida had to literally run through hell and back to prove his worth as a shinigami. He spent a good number of years drifting from divisions who could not cope or understand his methods of fighting, enough to make him think twice about his chosen profession in the afterlife. The 11th division considered him a pansy; the 4th division had no use for him, since he wasn't good in healing kidō; while the other divisions either scoffed at him or was too chummy with him. But just when Ishida Uryuu felt resigned to just drift off; he was transferred to the 14th division as the Fukutaicho of its new Taicho, Kurosaki Ichigo.

Ishida found out that his taicho was the anti-him. A person, who didn't give a shit about reishi; who had no sense of discerning whose reiatsu was behind him; who had barely average kidō abilities; and who didn't care about protocol at all. He was brash, uncouth, and had an impolite way of talking – which Ishida experienced the first time his taicho wiped the floor with him. Kurosaki Ichigo's redeeming grace was that he was certainly among the strongest in the whole of Gotei 14 and he was methodical in his paperwork. In fact, his taicho welcomed the bulk of paperwork enthusiastically, more than he would when encountering a hollow.

Years after he started as the 14th division's Fukutaicho, Ishida and Ichigo's rivalry on who was better was not lessened. Ichigo still talked like a gangster and Ishida still refuses to call him Taicho unless they were in the presence of the other taichos. However, it didn't mean that Ishida would not willingly take a damaging hit that was for his superior officer.

It was safe to say that Ishida could already predict his taicho and his relatively simple way of solving problem. When confronted by an obstacle, Kurosaki Ichigo would just hack and slash it until it was gone. Crude, yes, but it worked. This time however, even he was surprised at the recent course of action done by his taicho.

"Shall we begin the ceremony then?" Ishida Ryuuken asked in a bored tone.

Ishida did his best to avoid looking at Ryuuken, and instead focused on a certain spot on the carpet. After all these years, Ishida's father still never forgave him for being a shinigami instead of following the path set by their elders. His leaving for the Shinigami Academy was the last time he had ever seen the older Ishida. Ishida had to admit, even after all these years, Ryuuken was still as intimidating as before. Despite being a fukutaicho for a long time now, there was something about the Quincy monk that still made Ishida want to fidget with his clothing to check if it was spotless and everything was in place.

"The bride and groom are still not here." Keigo's excited voice was heard as he raised his hand to gain the attention of everyone in the room, "Should I go look for them?"

"What?" Exclaimed a hyped-up Isshin in scandalous tones as he gripped the collar of his robes in nervous delight, "Why couldn't they wait until after the ceremony to consummate –

"Pipe it down, old man." Ichigo's voice barked from the door. He was dressed in a somber black kimono that resembled his shinigami robes more than a festive outfit of a happy groom. "You're too loud. What will happen to going through this incognito?" Slowly, he slouched his way into the room, looking as if he was being sent to his execution instead of being inducted into the blissful world of marriage. Following him was Rukia who was also wearing a somber kimono in white that made her look like she was either in mourning or to be imprisoned for a heavy crime.

Ignoring the surly tone of his son, Isshin turned to Ryuuken and stage-whispered, "Make it really short, okay? I'm sure they're just dying to get a room for themselves."

His face red at the blatant innuendo, Ichigo quickly sent his father to the opposite side of the room via a spinning kick, with ease born out of defeating hollows for decades. Of course, the older man was used to it that he was able to efficiently angle his body to sustain the least amount of damage possible.

"God, what would I give to do that..." Murmured Rukia as Isshin went on and on from his position on the floor; crying about how happy he was that his son was now embracing his manliness and was ready to experience the passion and heat of physical intimacy with her. At his speech regarding babies and that he wanted at least a dozen, Rukia squelched the urge to bash Kurosaki Isshin's teeth in.

"After this; feel free to do so." Ichigo said to her in assurance, understanding how Isshin could easily get on a person's nerves. "Hit him as hard as you can, you hear?"

From a few seats away, Inoue started her sobfest again. "I'm going to miss you, Rukia-san!" she wailed, her face turning splotchy with tears. "All those times we shopped for clothes, the parties we attended; those fun times and everything else… I hope you'll be happy in your new life – do not forget those you left behind…"

"Inoue-san," Ishid said in confusion, as he attempted to comfort the crying woman and failing desperately "She's just getting married – not buried."

"Well it feels like it." Rukia muttered waspishly as she gave Ichigo another good glare. A loaded look that warned him that he would incur a most painful and humiliating death through the end of a blunt and rusty sword.

"If you two want to get married within this century, let's get this over and done with." Ishida Ryuuken's bored voice drawled.

As Ichigo and Rukia walked to the middle of the room, Ishida looked at his taicho cautiously. What he and Kuchiki Rukia had planned was definitely tricky, but the two were adamant to stick to it. Unconsciously, his hand gripped the paper that was hidden deep in his pockets. The written contract made by those two themselves, stating that the marriage was temporary and it will be annulled as soon as they could. In a nutshell, the terms listed that Kurosaki Ichigo would help Kuchiki Rukia find the murderers of her parents in exchange for her helping Ichigo find proof that Kurosaki Masaki was indeed killed by Aizen Souske. In the event that the evidences did not satisfy Rukia, she was given the right to turn Ichigo in to the authorities herself.

Ishida knew that no sane person would agree to such conditions, but as his taicho said himself, there was no helping it. Besides, he himself was confident in Ichigo's cause. The justifications were sound enough for him to believe in it. Ishida certainly hoped that Kuchiki Rukia was open to a lot of possibilities because he had a feeling that the evidences would be hard to accept. With that thought, Ishida mentally shook his head as he watched the ceremony. Honestly, if this event and the details of the agreement gets released to the general public, it would cause such as scandal. Even more so if Kuchiki Byakuya finds out.

Focusing on the short ceremony instead of the thoughts running in his head, Ishida decided to look at the witnesses in the wedding. As expected, the few guests included the ranked officers of the 14th squad, Yoruichi the cat, and the family of the groom. To his right was Isshin who sobbed as loud as what was humanely possible while his daughters stood behind him, both looking pleased (well, Karin tried NOT to look that way). Ishida knew that they would probably be disappointed if they found out about the arrangement that was made by the said couple. By general consensus, Rukia agreed not let her friend Inoue-san on the deal she made with Ichigo. This was to ensure that she would not accidentally blurt anything and to give her the protection she needed against any backlash when Byakuya Taicho learns about both the marriage and the reason behind it.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may now kiss the bride." Ryuuken droned out in monotone, his expression showing thinly veiled disgust at having to do a ceremony for the shinigamis that he so hated.

Cautiously, as if treading a nesting ground of Gillian in Hueco Mundo, Ichigo turned to Rukia. His hands took hold of her shoulders as he leaned down to barely press his lips to her offered cheek.

"Just on the cheek?!" Isshin cried out, aghast. "What kind of a man are you, Ichigo? How dare you kiss your wife just on the cheek? Give her a passionate one on the lips!"

…

…

…

There wasn't much of a party, as they were supposed to keep the wedding a secret until the couple returned from a 'honeymoon' that was suggested by Isshin. Nevertheless, Yuzu whipped up a feast in honor of the marriage of her brother and Kuchiki Rukia. In all honesty, Yuzu was happy at her Nii-chan's choice of bride. Rukia-nee really was a wonderful person who was smart, brave, and beautiful. Even without asking her twin, she knew that Karin approved of the match as well, considering that she was currently extracting a promise from their new sister-in-law to continue training her sword fighting and kidō skills. As Karin left to mingle with the other guests, the smug grin on her face was enough to tell Yuzu that Rukia-nee agreed to her twin's request.

Happily, she sent a quick prayer to the god above for those two before she joined the small group at the table to get something to eat.

Like all weddings, the mood was festive and the small crowd was relatively feeling cheerful and happy. Smiles were readily available and long time friends were enjoying each other's company. For them, a wedding was timely, considering that Seiretei was currently at war with the hollows at Hueco Mundo. If one would look closely, the cheerful mood was so contagious that anyone could swear that even the portraits of the illustrious former heads of the Kurosaki house were also feeling the excitement and merriment.

Except for the newlyweds themselves.

It seemed that he was destined for suffering, Ichigo thought in annoyance as his father hounded him tirelessly, mentioning Menos-sized hints about grandchildren and the whatnot. Honestly, Ichigo felt like either throttling his father or killing himself to end this embarrassing torment.

"Now Ichigo; it is really important to make sure that you and Rukia-chan contribute a son to our small clan." Isshin said loudly, after dragging his firstborn to a secluded corner for a 'talk.' Yet with his penchant for drama, he was broadcasting the conversation in the most humiliating way ever to everyone that was present. "You're the only one who can carry on our name to the future, so I definitely insist on you having many, many sons. However," he added indulgently, puffing out his chest in pride, "I won't say no to cute granddaughters either, especially if they take after Rukia-chan! Your sisters deserve nieces to spoil –

Whatever it as that Isshin wanted to add was never heard as Ichigo socked him. As his father crashed head-first onto a large armoire, the orange-haired Taicho wondered if there was someway he could disinherit himself from his dysfunctional family.

On the side of the bride, things were definitely not getting any rosier.

"Rukia-san…"Inoue asked in a whisper, after looking around to check that no man was close enough to eavesdrop "Are you prepared for your wedding night?"

Tatsuki coughed out her drink as her ears burned in embarrassment.

The bride nodded confidently. "Rest assured, I am very versed in these worldly things."

"Oh, did the Kuchiki teachers tell you about it?" the enthusiastic and curious voice of Inoue asked again. "I wasn't aware that they had it as a curriculum…"

"Nonsense; the idea behind coupling is taught religiously, Inoue. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my lecture as we were… err… with Kuro… Ichigo. But, never fear; I did my own research by listening into the conversations of the servants." Boasted Rukia, looking as nonchalant as possible all those while.

"Amazing, Rukia-san," gushed Inoue in admiration at the woman she considered as a friend, role model, and idol "What did you learn then?"

Rukia cleared her throat quietly. "Rule #1: Coupling is done in the dark," she said in a conspiratorial whisper, holding up a finger in the air to signify her point. "Rule #2: Both parties are to be without clothing. Rule #3: The woman must be flat on her back with the man on top."

"You're lucky that Kurosaki Taicho is not that heavy-looking then." Inoue interrupted earnestly, donning on a serious face as she imagined the possibilities. "Or you'll be squashed."

Tatsuki on the other hand was too busy cramming her knuckles in her mouth to comment. She was trying so hard not to laugh! Somewhere in the back of her mind, her conscience was telling her to correct the assumptions of Rukia, but the idea of Ichigo finding about this on their wedding night was too funny to pass up. Oh yeah, her poor Taicho was in for a LONG night.

"Yes of course, I am aware of that." Rukia said nodding vehemently; glad to see Inoue warm up to the topic. "Rule #4: Both parties should keep silent at all times."

Now Tatsuki was curious. Who said all these things?! There was no way anyone would tell Kuchiki Rukia these things, unless they were in jest or malice. Well, she shrugged mentally; whatever it was she thought would likely be corrected by Ichigo anyway, so she wasn't worried.

"And for the 5th and last rule; it is always painful."

Inoue gasped. "Oh no! Rukia-san!"

"I'll be fine," assured Rukia, as she placated her worried friend. "I'm used to get thrown around when fighting hollows. Surely I can handle Kuro-err, Ichigo."

Tastsuki just couldn't help herself from sniggering. She imagined the reaction on Ichigo's face when he hears that his wife just compared him to a hollow.

…

…

…

"Oh, Ichigo is SO lucky!" bemoaned Keigo, as he and Mizuiro found themselves by the juice fountain at the same time. "I'm so envious of his good fortune! Imagine, he's now married to Kuchiki Rukia!" he looked adoringly at the bride who was deep in conversation with her friend, Inoue Orihime. "I mean, just look at her… she's like a flawless piece of gem. He's so lucky to have all of that to himself." He sighed, his eyes glazing over as he took stock of the physical attributes of the noble. "That long curtain of hair like dark silk; those large expressive violet eyes; that lovely rose-tinted lips… he's a lucky bastard, getting the chance to thaw the Ice Princess himself."

"If she doesn't castrate him first…" Mizuiro said before he took a sip of his drink. "I actually pity him for that."

"Pity who?" Ishida asked as he drifted by to get another glass of juice. They were on high alert status, so it was not wise to be inebriated.

Mizuiro turned to the Fukutaicho. "Ichigo." He said simply. "Keigo believes he's lucky to be married to Rukia-san; but I doubt if he'll even cover all the bases with her."

"Well, I bet he will." Insisted Keigo adamantly. "I mean, he's either dead or gay if he won't hit on someone like THAT."

Not if Kurosaki can help it, Ishida thought wryly. Oh sure, he might be taking a lot of cold showers in the future; considering that his attraction to the Kuchiki noble was obvious, but Ishida doubts Kurosaki acting on these urges in the near future. Not if he wanted his manhood intact.

The commotion caused them to stop the conversation. Isshin-dono was already talking to Rukia-san; and judging from the redness in her face, it was a topic that she did not want to hear. From the corner of his eye, Ishida spotted the groom who was fuming and storming towards his old man and his new bride, the intent to annihilate written all over his scowling face.

This was one of the reasons Ishida stayed at the 14th for a long time. Life was never a dull moment here.

"Rukia-chan!" Isshin cried enthusiastically, "If it's possible, I would like to have grandkids by next year! Twins run in this family, so I'm pretty confident that at least one of your brood will be a pair!"

Brood? Just how many grandchildren did this one want, Rukia asked herself in horror.

"I'm not demanding for grandkids," the father of the groom said whiningly, "Just ten or something for the first decade of marriage; the next can follow when you two have learned the ropes on how to raise kids."

Rukia felt faint at the mention of ten children. What did Kurosaki Isshin take her for, an animal?

"Of course, you better name one of them after me, after Masaki, and pretty much after the past heads of the Kurosaki clan!"

Suddenly, a headache seemed to be a welcome idea, as Rukia grumbled.

"Well, I know you'd like to name one for your mother, father, sister, and brother; so you and Ichigo should definitely have more kids!" Isshin's smile was blindingly bright and nauseating.

Rukia knew that it would never be an option to name any kid of her 'Byakuya.' Not even for a Taicho position.

"What are you doing here, old man?" the pissed-off voice of Ichigo was heard behind them.

Isshin scoffed. "I didn't know you were that possessive, my boy! I'm not here to steal your wife from you; I love your mother. Did you somehow forget that? Ichigo, I'm just trying to convince Rukia-chan here the merits of starting a family early –

But Isshin was unable to finish his prepared spiel as Ichigo, for the nth time that day, punched him across the face "Didn't I tell you not to talk to her about THAT?" he gritted out in annoyance. Not waiting to hear an answer from his father, Ichigo turned to face his wife. "Oi." He all but snarled, "Let's go."

At these words, his father sprung from his prone position on the floor, holding his hands up in a victory sign as he winked at Ichigo cheekily "Yes! Go forth, my son; enjoy your honeymoon and multiply! I didn't know that you were this eager to passionately consummate your –

"Knock it off!" reprimanded Ichigo as he grabbed the arm of a surprised and shocked Rukia. "Let's move."

As the couple walked to the door, Keigo whistled slyly before piping, "Whoo-hoo! Ichigo's gonna get some!"

Rukia's face was red as her new husband dragged her outside. "This is most disgraceful and undignified." She murmured, channeling Byakuya in her embarrassment at the behavior of the people who attended her wedding.

…

…

…

The Kurosaki clan once had been among the most prominent noble clans in the whole of Seiretei. It was quite a common practice for a Kurosaki to be assigned to the 14th division and it was expected of them to be the next Taicho. It was not really a case of nepotism (though the earlier Taichos were once chosen by merit of their contributions – in financial terms, of course – to the whole of Seiretei), but more of a faithfully kept tradition that had been followed for more than a millennium. Power plays were common in the realm of the souls and Kurosaki taichos were not above stepping down when their heir apparent showed signs of surpassing their elders. This was all to ensure that the division would still be run by someone from their clan. Thus, it became customary to glean a Kurosaki to be the next taicho of the 14th. Even Yamamoto Sou-Taicho kept up with the tradition when he appointed the youngest Kurosaki to be ever inducted into office.

Of all of the Kurosaki taichos who served Gotei 14, it was Isshin who definitely had the longest service. He was also the first and only taicho to date that stepped down from his position early, and in a fine bill of health. Unlike the others who died, became incapacitated, or were just surpassed by their heirs, Kurosaki Isshin just showed up outside the Central 46 with a letter of formal resignation and a nomination of his son for the said position he would vacate. After this, he took his daughters and left for the living world for more than twenty years of an 'indefinite vacation.'

His son, Kurosaki Ichigo, ascended to the top of the militia in speeds as fast as his shunpo. Following protocol, Ichigo had both been nominated by some of the other Taichos and was given the position by the Sou-Taicho himself. A few weeks later, the 14th squad had its new leader. In a short period of time, Ichigo had reached legendary status as he became the topic of stories and gossips. His strength and his ability to defeat high-level hollows in such a surprising rate served to make him among the more popular taichos in the whole Gotei 14. Of course, as Keigo stressed, it didn't hurt that women found the young taicho attractive. Like the other popular bachelors in Seiretei, he had his share of fangirls who did their best to get noticed by him. Unfortunately, his deep-seated need for revenge made him unwilling to commit to any woman – even if he had a few flings here and there – most of them lasting for quite some time in fact.

As of the moment, Ichigo was saying a forlorn goodbye to his free days. He was currently enjoying his solitude as he mused on his unexpected change in status. Now he was married to the noble shinigami Rukia - in name only, of course. The entire ceremony was a major farce that no one, except for 3 people, knew. Ichigo had a difficult time warding off Keigo's innuendos and leering remarks of him sharing the bed with the Kuchiki noble.

Somewhere inside the 'honeymoon hideaway' (as said by his father, the old pervert), his wife was busy setting up the room that they were dumped in together. Ichigo wondered how long it would take Aizen to demand his fiancée back; hopefully not too long. It was grating on his nerves to remain married to Rukia because she was an annoying person, he thinks. As he looked at the door left ajar, Ichigo grudgingly added that his wife was also attractive – annoyingly attractive. Hell, the last time they were in the same bed, he almost went through all kinds of torture trying to be noble and all. He loathed imagining just what level of horror he would have to go through, living with her.

The possibility of him either strangling her or ravishing her was high on the list. Not when she looked like she was the bloody answer to all of life's damn unanswered questions! In fact, even now, she looked… well, fetching.

Okay, so he had seen a large share of beautiful women, they even threw themselves at him for crying out loud! Some of them were even prettier by a mile compared to Rukia. But the damn flat-chested midget had the advantage of those unholy eyes of hers. With those gem-like irises that had a unique color: a shade somewhere between violet and amethyst. Those dastardly dangerous eyes that could steal your soul, with just one look. Depending on how she used it, Rukia could definitely make a man feel like he was the most unworthy scum in existence, or feel like he was the most fortunate person alive. And she used it to get what she wanted – the minx.

Oblivious to his scrutiny, Rukia continued to put their clothing in the closet, the fluid movements causing her light yukata to flare slightly open, letting him have a fleeting glimpse of a creamy length of leg before she turned around once again. Her raven-colored hair was unbound and it settled around her shoulders like a silken mantle that rippled against the light.

Ichigo stifled a groan. He had a feeling that cold showers would be mandatory than hot baths. Quickly, he banged his head on the surface of the low table.

…

…

…

Inside the room, Rukia tried her very best to tidy up in her frantic search for extra pillows. Why was it that when she needed them, they went missing? Those pillows were important; Rukia needed to put as much distance as between her and her new husband – In name only, of course; plus she had to make sure she wasn't flat on her back.

The next time she saw Kurosaki Isshin, he was a dead man for placing them in one room! Her parents didn't even sleep in the same chambers, for Kami's sake; and Hisana-san had her own quarters at the Kuchiki manor, so why didn't she have her own room? What about her privacy? Angrily, she stomped around to make sure that the suite would have at least a lamp left open; Heaven knows what could happen if it was completely dark.

As Rukia shuffled around the bag that Inoue helped her pack, she instinctively searched for the snow globe. Her hand soon found the cool surface of the glass and she tried to muster back her wavering confidence. Thankfully, her shaking nerves were able to quell themselves into submission. Honestly, if anyone else were in her position, they would have fled for the hills by now. She just married Kurosaki Ichigo, the man who hated Aizen Sosuke, her betrothed. Rukia remembered that all she wanted to do was to find out the truth; she never expected to find herself bound to Ichigo.

Ruefully, she wonders how exactly it happened. Everything was a blur that she could not really remember. She recalls crying, being weak… and he was there – just there for her to anchor onto. Then she was talking about finding the truth and bringing her parents' murderer to justice. Suddenly they were signing a contract – an arrangement to work with each other… and finally, she sees them getting married.

"You're a mess, Kuchiki Rukia." She scoffs at herself harshly as she stuffs back the snow globe in her pack. She trusted someone she barely knew over the man who taught her, cared for her, and who wanted to marry her. It was pathetic. Now if her judgment was wrong, she was jumping from the frying pan straight into the fire. If Aizen Sosuke was innocent, she only handed Ichigo her head on a silver platter.

"Moron. Kuchiki Rukia, what will you do if he is not what he claims to be?" she asked herself softly. "Are you that easy to manipulate? What guarantee do you have that Kurosaki Ichigo isn't planning anything to you."

"There really is none, you know."

Whirling around in surprise, Rukia found herself facing her husband. There was a slight crease across his smooth forehead and his thin lips were set in a somber line. Ichigo was looking so dead serious that it was almost comical. Suddenly, she felt the urge to laugh and tease him for acting like a worrywart. That is until she saw that he was wearing just a yukata. A loose one in fact, that parted up front, exposing a lean yet toned chest and bowstring taut stomach. If she looked farther down, she could glimpse his navel from the junction of the cloth just above his narrow hips. Rukia suddenly found her mind going blank.

"I can't force you to trust me." Ichigo said. "Looking at it from your viewpoint, I do seem suspicious. So…" he shrugged negligently, causing the yukata to slide slightly off one strong shoulder, baring more tanned skin to the lamp-lit evening.

Rukia blinked.

"I won't. But I will still give you my word that I have no ill-thought against you." He stood still, waiting for a reply. None was forthcoming. Confused, Ichigo leaned in closer to his wife. "Well?"

"Eh?"

Ichigo's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "You could at least show courtesy and say 'yes' you know." To his surprise, her face turned a bright red as she stepped back quickly. "Hey; are you alright, midget?" he asked.

"That's none of your business." Rukia retorted hotly, as she turned away from him.

Inwardly, Rukia cringed. Was she checking out Ichigo? Why in the world would she do that? Okay, so it may be normal for a woman to check out her husband; but this was no ordinary marriage. She had no luxuries to spare. Damn the man! How dare he stand there looking all manly and attractive? He was supposed to scowl extra harder today. And for goodness' sake, why wasn't he straightening his yukata? Honestly, why was he acting like an incompetent moron anyway?

Rukia remembered hearing that this certain taicho had fangirls. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why that was the case – until tonight, that is.

Obviously, the said women weren't after his smarts now, were they? Of course not; they were probably drooling over his superb physique. Probably even fantasizing about being held in his powerful arms, crushed against his toned and hard body –

Blushing even more, a mortified Rukia covered her cheeks hastily with her palms. Oh goodness, she was acting like a pervert! This was another thing she blames Ichigo for – the crazed man was dragging her to depravity. All those years of being taught to be a poised, aloof princess was going down the drain. Now she was reduced to the level of that other perverted idiot, Keigo.

"Oi." Ichigo said out of the blue, his breath fanning her ear as he bent behind her. "Are you sick or something? You're awfully red."

Rukia stood as still as she could, willing her heart to stop its rapid beating. "I am irritated." She said in a low voice as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Kuchikis do not get sick."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow "Right." He drawled, chuckling, causing Rukia to feel a bit faint. Finally he straightened up and walked to the bed. "What the hell is this?" he asked as he came across a fortress of pillows covered by a large blanket in the middle of the bed.

"I'm not used to share my sleeping space." Rukia said evenly as she made her way to the bed as well, slipping under the covers. "Unless you want me up all night, I need those pillows."

Somehow, Ichigo's traitorous mind interpreted the last statement differently. And he was subsequently thrown back in the past when he first came to the realization that Rukia was a cuddler. Of course Ichigo's still treacherous thoughts replayed the whole incident. Suddenly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to add more pillows to the stack or remove them completely.

Damn. He wondered if Rukia would find it weird if he took another cold shower. Well, he didn't imagine her screaming her head off if she felt how his body reacted to her in the middle of the night; but just to be on the safe side, he'd rather not to be near her at all.

"Stop fidgeting; you're pulling the blanket to your side." Rukia said snidely from her side of the bed.

"I was not fidgeting, midget. I was adjusting the blanket – you're the one who's hogging it all." Ichigo protested as he tugged the blanket to himself. Around this time of the year, Seiretei's mornings may be sunny, but the nights can get cold all of a sudden, and he had no intention of freezing like a Popsicle.

Annoyed, Rukia pulled at her end of the blanket even more. This was the reason why couples slept separately – one of them always turned out to be a cover hog. Obviously, in this fake marriage, it was Ichigo. As it became obvious that he would never share, she sat up abruptly. "Moron." She said angrily as she glared at Ichigo. Wordlessly, she took two pillows off the stack between them.

"What are you doing?" he asked out in a rush, surprised at her actions.

"Isn't it obvious? You won't share the covers; I had to reduce the amount of space between us so I can get warm."

Ichigo wondered if his father and Keigo's perversions finally got to him. He was currently thinking about different things! Mentally, he shook his head as he grimaced. NO, think weird, ugly thoughts… yeah… Old man Yama-Sou Taicho winking at him coyly… yuck…

"Would you relax? I'm not going to jump on you, you know." Rukia huffed out in annoyance.

And sanity just pitched itself out of the window.

"You can jump on me anytime you want." He muttered under his breath.

"What? Did you say something?" she asked absentmindedly as she adjusted the covers, trying to get adequate protection from the chill.

Ichigo shook his head hurriedly "I said: I didn't think you'd jump on me." He pulled back the covers only to realize that somewhere down south of his body, his 'little self' was waking up. In embarrassment, he pulled the covers even more to hide the evidence of his dirty thinking.

Rukia chuckled, misinterpreting the action as his attempt at modesty. "How cute. You're shy."

"What?" Roared Ichigo, his face flushing red in embarrassment. She did not just flirt with him, did she? The unflappable ice princess did not just make a pass at him? "What?" he croaked this time, wondering if she was somehow thinking of changing a few things in the contract – like matrimonial benefits? Well, if she _wanted_ to, who the hell was he to argue against it? Besides, if this gig turned out longer than expected, he'd have to, unfortunately, be celibate for an indefinite period of time. Even if he hated her guts, he was only a human male. Being tempted on a regular basis was not his idea of healthy living… unless he wanted to drown or freeze himself taking so many cold showers… or be involved in a potentially scandalous extra marital affair…

Mentally, he shook his head. He was probably going crazy, and that was it.

Rukia's eyes narrowed as she found herself getting more irritated by his childish behavior "For all that is holy – would you please act normal? We're adults here – you have nothing to be embarrassed about!"

Feeling his breathing choke him, Ichigo coughed to clear his throat. Goodness, he didn't know Kuchiki Rukia was this blasé to talk about desires and arousals in such a casual manner! What the hell did those tutors of hers told her anyway? "What are you saying – that it's okay for you if I'm… like… _this_?" As she nodded, Ichigo felt like hitting himself. What was he getting worked up in the first place? He was half afraid that she would misinterpret his considerate actions as a perverted overture. After her being exposed to his old man's degree of perversion, he half expected her to be screaming that he was sexually harassing her.

"I'm not going to tell anyone that you're innocent in the worldly matters – you have my word."

Now he lost her. "My what?"

"Listen." Rukia said, almost impatiently, wanting to get some much-needed sleep. "This is a contractual marriage, so don't worry – we're not going to consummate this union, so you're safe."

Somehow, Ichigo felt like throttling her for an explanation or taking a long hike. "We're talking about sex, right?"

"Yes." Rukia said carefully, as if she was addressing a child. "Don't worry, we won't turn off all the lights and I won't be flat on my back. Plus we're both dressed, so don't work yourself out by worrying." Solicitously, she reached out to ruffle his hair – hoping it would make him more comfortable. "I've taken the necessary precautions so there won't be any chance for us to consummate this marriage, okay? Now get some sleep."

Without another word, she settled back to her side of the bed.

This was not happening, thought Ichigo in alarm as he sat motionless on his side of the large bed. Kuchiki Rukia was completely clueless about the danger she was in. With his hormones going berserk, yet she thought that **he** was the inexperienced one. Who the hell told her about those things in the first place? Was she really that stupid or just plain naïve?

So, if she ended up marrying Aizen (the bastard, his subconscious snarled), she would probably kill him in shock when she 'revealed' the range of her sexual know-how. Somehow. That part was amusing enough for Ichigo. He would pay good money to see this awkward conversation played out between them.

Of course, knowing Aizen… he would probably conduct an impromptu lecture and embarrass them both the more. Then again, the two-faced bastard that he was, he just might force her to submit. Suddenly, Ichigo felt a bubble of anger rise from him. Who was to say that Aizen wouldn't restrain himself from grabbing her by her arms, restraining her on the bed, as he shoved her yukata aside?

Ichigo grimaced. No, for someone as manipulative and crafty as Aizen, he'd probably play the part of a patient lover that anything else. He would be careful and stealthy. Of course he wondered what it was about Rukia that made him decide to marry her, but the fact that she was easy on the eyes was a factor that tipped the scales in her favor.

Yes, instead of forcing himself on her, he would probably cajole and lead, relishing in the knowledge that he would be the first to introduce her to passion and awareness. He would be the first to lay her bare to his gaze, learn the secrets of her body intimately, and make her completely his.

Ichigo finds to his confusion that neither of the two thoughts held any appeal for him.

To assure himself that she was all right, Ichigo peered over the side of the makeshift wall to check on his wife. Rukia was already asleep, lying on her side facing away from him. Her small hands were fisted over the blanket as she curled into the warmth of the silk. Unlike other women who slept with their hair braided or tied to the side, her raven tresses spilled all over, creating a stark contrast to the crisp, white sheets. Her breathing was slow and shallow and her lips were parted slightly. Just as before, he found himself riveted by the lines of her face and the long lashes that cast faint shadows on her cheekbones.

Ichigo came to the conclusion that she looked too damned appealing for her own good. Perhaps Aizen really was fond of her. If that was the case, she could have been one lucky pawn. "Sleep tight, Rukia." He whispered quietly as he gave her one last look over before he laid himself to get some sleep.

His last thought was about dark rooms and lying flat on one's back.

…

…

…

_There was a lot of blood. There was always a lot of blood._

_Nine year-old Kurosaki Ichigo slowly made his way down the steps. Where was his father? Did he return from his division already? Where was his mother? She was supposed to be sleeping or waiting for his father in the upstairs parlor._

_Everything was dark…_

_Where was his mother? Was his father home already? Ichigo's heart was hammering in his chest. The castle was quiet… too quiet. There were supposed to be guards posted by the staircase, and Ichigo knew they never missed a shift. It was supposed to be Arai-san and Noda-san tonight. But where were they?_

Suddenly, Ichigo stopped as he stepped on a pool of liquid. Blood…

"_Mother?" he called out hesitantly. The house was far too quiet, something that made Ichigo suspicious. Quickly, he dashed to the study where he was sure his mother was._

_Only to find her lying in a pool of blood. "MOTHER!" he shouted in panic as he rushed to rouse her. "Somebody, help!" he cried out as he attempted to lift her to a sitting position._

_Kurosaki Masaki's eyes were open and they stared at him dully. Why did it seem like she was accusing him of something?_

"_Where is the hyougokyu, Ichigo-kun."_

_Ichigo's eyes grew wide as the owner of the voice stepped out of the shadows. Aizen-taicho? But Aizen taicho was a friend of father's wasn't he? What was he doing here? Did he see who did this?_

"_Aizen Taicho," he whimpered, "Please help my mother…"_

"_If you give me the hyougokyu, I will." Aizen said indulgently, as he smiled gently at him. "You can save your mother if you want, Ichigo-kun."_

_Ichigo sobbed, baffled at what the other was saying, "I don't know what you're talking about…"_

_The taicho smiled, eyeglasses glinting from the flickering light of the lamp. "Why the one you have in your hand, Ichigo-kun. If you're not giving it to me, then watch your mother die."_

_Ichigo was surprised to see the hyougokyu in his hand. It was small and a bit shiny, but it didn't look any special. Was this what Aizen wanted? How did it get there anyway? He remembered overhearing his father promise to Urahara-ojisan that he would never let the Hyougokyu fall into anyone's hands. But… if it were to save his mother, wouldn't he agree?_

"_Ichigo," a weak voice whispered._

"_Mother?"_

"_Never let go."_

"_Mother!" Ichigo screamed._

"Ichigo! Ichigo!" a voice called out. "Wake up, Ichigo."

Somewhere in the middle of the fog that he could see, Ichigo could hear the voice call out to him – as if it could take him out of the nightmarish world that he was currently in. Blocking out the sight of his mother's bloody body, and the hurtful glint of Aizen's glasses, Ichigo willed himself to follow the voice.

"Ichigo!"

Suddenly, he felt a smarting pain against his cheek. Ichigo's eyes flew open. Only to find Rukia beside him, his head cradled against her chest and her hand in his.

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Ugh. I just had to end it there.

Poor Ichigo, getting mixed signals from Rukia. I don't suppose he found it funny.

Oh, by the time you guys read this – it will be a whole lot far from the original time I wrote this. This chapter was finished **April 2, 2008**. Why am I saying this? Because by then, you'll probably see similarities with Bleach manga chapter 318 (which I just read **April 12, 2008**). I just want you guys to know that I was pleasantly surprised to see that the 2nd division allows the successions of Taichos just like the 14th division, my AU addition (I think that Kubo hinted/pointed out that tidbit back at SS arc when Soi Fon had a flashback about Yoruichi). Kick-ass, huh? If you don't believe me, ask my e-daddy Kaya who positively knows what I'm talking about. So, does this mean, my mind-accessing technique with Kubo works? At least to an extent? _**C.LeShay again attempts to mentally connect with Kubo in hopes of getting manga spoilers and convincing him through 'suggestion' to make IchiRuki canon.**_

Kubo's such a bloody genius, lulling the readers to think that Urahara is more of a mental, kidō-type kind of guy who tinkers with machines and stuff when all along he's this totally brawny guy who mastered subduing shinigami with his fists (the translation may be wrong, but I hope you get the point). I'm an Urahara fan, but I'm positively surprising myself by the extent of my fangirl squealing.

At any rate, thank you to all who reviewed the previous chapter; I'm glad to read your thoughts and ideas; it certainly made me more enthusiastic about writing and I hope it shows here.

So… once again, please do review this crack-ish chapter so I'd be motivated to write the next ones! Over one of our conversations, Kaya was very nice to say that between my long hours at work and homeward bound commutes, she was amazed that I found time to squeeze in writing fics. Yeah, when you see how I look like, you'd totally understand how I was able to do that. For the love of IchiRuki, I have no social life whatsoever that my friends are wondering if I disappeared from the face of earth. So… please indulge this raccoon-eyed writer with the unappealing computer tush by reviewing this chapter. Your literary donations will be highly appreciated and it will go to the foundation that supports the sparking of ideas.

Plus for those keeping track of my e-family, I'm pleased to report that we found my long-lost twin (the good one between us). Surprisingly, we found her lurking with us at the Bleach Asylum forums (IchiRuki FC): it's **Jazzjackrabbit**!!


	7. Chapter 7

Heart's Desire Chapter 7 Heart's Desire Chapter 7By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13). The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

Warning: the obligatory fluff chapter; I'll try to tone it down as much as I can, okay?

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_Ichigo! Ichigo!" a voice called out. "Wake up, Ichigo."_

_Somewhere in the middle of the fog that he could see, Ichigo could hear the voice call out to him – as if it could take him out of the nightmarish world that he was currently in. Blocking out the sight of his mother's bloody body, and the hurtful glint of Aizen's glasses, Ichigo willed himself to follow the voice._

"_Ichigo!"_

_Suddenly, he felt a smarting pain against his cheek. Ichigo's eyes flew open. Only to find Rukia beside him, his head cradled against her chest and her hand in his._

…

…

…

Beads of cold sweat was dotting Ichigo's forehead. Damn, that dream was so eerie and peculiar. Instead of focusing on his terror, he decided to take a look at Rukia.

To his surprise, she was looking pale and she had a slight look of worry on her smooth face. That really clued him in into what happened. After all, it wasn't everyday that Rukia wore such an expression openly. Obviously, whatever it is she saw shocked her a lot. "It's just a nightmare." She said, trying to reassure him, although her tone was somehow implying that she didn't think that it was the case.

"What did I do this time?" he asked wearily as he attempted to disentangle himself from Rukia's hold. Seeing that he needed the space, she complied immediately, but not before helping Ichigo get his bearings.

"This time?" she asked, puzzled at the question.

"I tend to thrash around and sleepwalk." He replied flatly, remembering the time when he socked Ishida during one of the missions to the real world. During a nightmare episode while they were watching over a certain town, Ichigo had hit him so hard, he broke the bridge of his fukutaicho's glass frames. Another was when he kicked Keigo in the shin, causing multiple fractures. But the worst was when he was only 10 years old, when he pitched himself out of the window into the cold waters of the lake in their summerhouse. His father claims that he wasn't worried, but Tatsuki, who heard about the incident from her uncle, said that Isshin had a stark mad look in his eyes as he saw his son fall freely three floors from the window. If it wasn't for his father (who was at the grounds back then) diving out into the waters to save him, Ichigo might have not survived.

Until he started his schooling at the Central Shinigami Spirit Institute when he was 13, Ichigo was never given a room upstairs - ever.

Rukia frowned as she recalled the events "Well, you thrashed around and moaned like you were in pain…"

It didn't escape Ichigo's attention that his wife was looking at him warily, as if expecting him to do anything violent at any given moment. Though she sat still and was the picture of calm, Rukia's hands were bunching the blanket and smoothing out its creases alternately.

"Did I hit you?" he asked quickly, looking at her over to see tell-tale signs of injury. His eyes scanned the side of her face, and then he took a glance at her arms. After being convinced that she was not injured, he felt his body relax slightly.

"No. You just… thrashed around and… I tried to wake you up." Came the hesitant reply.

Ichigo gave her a careful glance, once again. This was to check if she was lying. If he hit her, he doubts that he'd live to see the end of it. "Did you hit me?" he asked this time, remembering his stinging cheek. As his hands moved over his face, Ichigo came across the stinging skin over his cheekbone.

"Yes." Rukia admitted, shrugging. However, she was trying to stifle her laughter at the disgruntled tone he used. "Took you a while to wake up."

Snorting, Ichigo pushed aside the bedcovers as he made a move to stand.

"Where are you going?"

"You take the bed," Ichigo said as he walked to the door "I won't be sleeping anymore." Without waiting for a reply, he left.

Rukia could only look at his back as he shut the door. Whatever it was, the dream must have been really bad for him to resort to leaving. She knew that even if she provoked him into an argument, his heart was not in it. And their disagreements were definitely something that they both were passionate about. It was as if proving the other wrong was their respective life missions and to gloat in the success of shutting the other was a heady prize they craved.

For him to ignore such an opening was definitely weird.

But sparing it no other thought, Rukia settled back into the warmth of the bed. As her eyes drifted shut, her thoughts suddenly went back to Ichigo. Was he warm outside? The simple living room was a bit drafty (Isshin-dono…er… **father** explained it to them belatedly in a letter that reeked of suggestive themes not meant for those below the age of consent and maturity) and he would probably feel the chill in a few minutes.

Rukia's eyes flew open. She debated on whether she ought to go out and give him an extra comforter, but she shot down the idea immediately. No. There was not going to be a repeat of that incident while Ichigo was having a nightmare earlier.

Flashback

_Rukia grumbled as she felt Ichigo thrash on his side of the bed. She tried to be patient about it, but he was really getting onto her nerves. Did the man honestly think that she could sleep through that racke? "If you don't stop that, I swear I'm going to kill you." She grumbled, trying to pass him a subtle message._

_Apparently, he REALLY was thick-headed. Ichigo was either not hearing her or he was good at pretending that he could not hear her. The second thought made Rukia's blood run cold. The asshole better be prepared to die the moment she stood up. Mentally, she counted to 50. _

_Suddenly, Ichigo gave a low cry. "NO!"_

_Immediately, Rukia sat bolt upright. "Ichigo?" she asked, alert to anything. Leaning over the pillows she saw him thrashing around as he convulsed painfully. "Ichigo!" Without second thoughts she jolted his shoulders "Wake up, you're having a nightmare!"_

_Unfortunately, whatever it was, Ichigo was NOT snapping out of it anytime soon. He, as Rukia observed with alarm, was mumbling and crying incoherent words while he lashed out at an unseen opponent. His face was contorted in anger and there was a snarl building from his thought._

_It must have been one hell of a menos, Rukia thought to herself._

_Ichigo's fist missed Rukia's cheek by a few millimeters. Snarling, Rukia grabbed him by the arm "Ichigo! Wake up idi-_

_Out of the blue, Ichigo's other hand grabbed Rukia's and pulled her to him._

_Letting out a small squeak of surprise, Rukia tumbled straight onto his chest "Ichigo!" she grumbled, pushing against him earnestly, "Let go!" But he was not listening. If anything else, Ichigo's grip on her tightened as he continued to mumble words that held no meaning. "You creep!" Rukia hissed viciously, wondering if the asshole was awake all along._

_Yet his trembling form was proof enough that he was still deep in slumber. Sighing loudly, Rukia forced herself to remain still. Perhaps, the moron really was having a nightmare and somehow, the contact with another person calmed him. She squirmed, trying to find a better position in his strong hold. It was awkward really, as half of her body was still draped over the fortress of pillows, while the half of her was sprawled over Ichigo. Carefully, she angled her head so as to let it rest against the crook of his neck – for the sake of breathing, of course – as her chest was pressed flat against him, allowing her to feel the erratic beats of his heart. One of his hands found themselves wound against her hair. Perhaps, for once, she would let this slide._

_Wryly, Rukia wonders what would happen should he wake up. She imagined him going so red in the face like earlier. Perhaps seeing him almost get a coronary would be payment enough for this uncomfortable position. The prude idiot._

_Did he always sleep like this? If so, this was going to be a problem. She had no intentions of being crushed and – she raised an eyebrow as she felt Ichigo's right hand slide dangerously close to her posterior – groped on a regular basis. "I'm going to chop that hand off tomorrow." She promised herself sadistically. _

_Inhaling, her nose drew in his scent. It was a masculine scent but it was not as oppressive as she imagined it to be. He also smelled vaguely of pine, possibly from his soap. His yukata, though damp with sweat still had the scent of detergent and sunshine. While his bright orange hair smelled like… citrus. The though made her smile. _

_Giving in to the urge, Rukia closed her eyes to better categorize and imprint in her mind the many things that she noticed about Kurosaki Ichigo. She shifted, trying to find a more comfortable position, as her leg was cramping. Unwittingly, the movements made her lips touch the skin of his neck._

_Blushing in ten shades of red, Rukia stiffened. She did not just __**kiss**__ his neck, right?_

_Swallowing an embarrassed squeal, Rukia immediately pushed herself off Ichigo. She didn't care if he woke up now, or what, all she knew was that she had to put some distance – __**any**__ distance – between them. Though his hold on her arm tightened, Rukia wriggled fiercely and was able to slide back to her side of the bed, although Ichigo was still holding her tightly. To her horror, he rolled to her side of the bed, intent on following her there, to follow the warmth that her body once provided._

"_ICHIGO!" she screeched in panic as the pillows toppled from their perch. She tried standing up but she lost her balance and she half landed on Ichigo again, giving him the leverage to grab her in a tight hold. Unconsciously, he burrowed the side of his face against her chest while his right hand snaked to her side. "DAMN YOU!" she snarled as she tried to sit on the mattress. "Ichigo! Ichigo! Wake up Ichigo!"_

_Enough was enough! She kneeled so she could free her left hand and despite being in an awkward position, she raised it and slapped him soundly against the cheek._

_There was a moment of blessed calm, before Ichigo's eyes flashed open._

End flashback

In embarrassment, Rukia buried her body beneath the comforter as far as she could. "Idiot! Kuchiki Rukia, you idiot!" she berated herself. "You moron!"

Why was her heart beating fast? Not only that, but she was feeling out of breath, and her face seemed like it burst into flames. Frowning, she recounted the last time she felt her pulse race this way. Was there any particular reason then?

The last time all these things happened, she was running for her life from a group of hollows at the world of the living while she waited for reinforcements. Mentally she shook her head; no way, this was not the same as that time. Rukia wasn't stupid. She knew that these feelings had something to do with the opposite sex. Whenever she attended social functions, her handmaidens always asked her if she felt such things after a dance or conversation with any man. Though they denied it, Rukia was certain that these were questions that the elders asked to find out if she was showing interest in men – or to test if she was easily swayed by such preludes to intimacy.

Byakuya nii-sama said that feeling these things, though a burden to them, was a pretty normal thing. When she became betrothed to Aizen Taicho, her brother warned her not to be swayed by such feelings, as it was unbecoming for a Kuchiki.

Belatedly, Rukia realized that she never worried about such things because simply put, she never felt such emotions from spending time with Aizen Taicho. Not even once, all at once. Even during the times when he kissed her.

So WHY was it that she was now feeling these things? With Ichigo nonetheless? Was it because she was married to him? Was it because he tried to grope her while he was unconscious?

"Argh!" Rukia gritted out in frustration. "This is so annoying!"

Wait. Maybe it was because she exerted an effort to get him off her. Yes! That was probably it! Then it means she'll be back to normal tomorrow morning! Of course!

Really, what was she worrying herself for? It was all just a simple thing that needed a simple explanation. It was tiring to wake someone from a nightmare…

Finally feeling calm, Rukia allowed herself to fall asleep.

…

…

…

"It is important that you get to the Central 46 before daybreak. I fear that if we are to delay, it will be too late."

"I am sorry that I was unable to get the information earlier, Taicho."

There was a pause as the rustling of sleeves against paper were heard faintly "We are at war, any messages from Seiretei would be delayed. This not your fault; so please, do not look so dejected."

"Hai." A much relieved and happier voice said softly.

"Kuchiki-taicho will leave in the morning tomorrow. I am counting on you to pass this petition to the necessary people before we get there. Thank you for your efforts, Hinamori-kun."

Hinamori reached out to take the folded parchment. "I will be there before sunrise, Aizen taicho."

Then, the fukutaicho of the 5th division disappeared in a fast wave of shunpo.

Aizen Sosuke sat stiffly in front of his desk. "Rukia-san." he murmured absently to himself.

…

…

…

While Rukia was happily frolicking in dreamland, Ichigo was still wide-awake. The seats in the living room were uncomfortable and not made for someone to relax on; but as of the moment Ichigo had no desire to sleep or rest.

Shit. That was one hell of a nightmare. It was just like before, every time. Aizen, his mother, the blood…

Except for one small detail. His mother never spoke to him in any of his dreams – ever. All she did was look at him with open, vacant eyes that seemed to be accusing him of something. This time however, Kurosaki Masaki spoke, and she told him, no ordered, that he should NEVER let go.

Of what? He wasn't holding anything in his dream. Ichigo wanted to think that it really was the hougyoku that his mother referred to, but it made no sense. After all, Urahara already took the damned object with him and disappeared from the face of Soul Society the night Masaki was killed. If his annoying godfather had any remaining lick of sense in him, he would have done the right thing and destroyed his dangerous invention. Yoruichi did say that the former 12th division taicho never talked about it, and she preferred to believe that it vanished completely.

Suddenly, Ichigo's thoughts drifted to his wife who was sleeping soundly in the other room. If it wasn't for Rukia (and he already figured out just WHOSE voice was it that he heard), Ichigo didn't know what might have happened. He probably might have hurt himself in the process. Whatever. He was really just relieved that he didn't endanger her in any way. That would have been a bad thing for him if ever it became public knowledge. True, couples do bicker sometimes, but Ichigo doubts that Byakuya would let it slide if he socked the other taicho's sister – accidental it may be.

Great. That was all he needed for Rukia to think he was a basket case. If he was the sort of person to drink himself to oblivion, he might have done so. But Ichigo remained where he was, sitting there until the first streaks of color appeared faintly across the night sky.

…

…

…

Being a shinigami was already ingrained in his bones even at a young age. Unlike most children, Ichigo had practically been forced to learn the rudiments of combat instead of spending his time playing. Not that he minded, of course. After that night his mother was murdered, Ichigo handed over his rights to a normal childhood and pushed himself into becoming better than Aizen and his father.

Old habits really die hard, thought Ichigo as he did his routine of improving his sword skills. If it was any regular morning, he would have sparred with Ishida or Sado, maybe even Tasuki. However, considering that he was in his honeymoon, Ichigo had no choice but to practice the sword motions using the contraband contraption Urahara sent him. Though practicing with an animate dummy was good, Ichigo wanted a real, live sparring partner.

Not because of the blood spilling – that would be Kenpachi's reasons for asking for a spar. What Ichigo wanted was an unpredictable and emotional sparring partner. Someone who would react to provocation and respond to conversation. Urahara's dummies never did talk back and it annoyed Ichigo. Back at the 14th, he was used to Ishida's condescending little throws; Keigo's whinning; Mizuiro's snarky yet eerily polite comments; Tatsuki's screaming and bitching (especially during those PMS days when she really fought him with the intent to kill), as well as Sado's miniscule responses. Sparring with them always felt like it was a REAL battle, not something dictated by a program made by a crafty bastard.

Feeling someone's eyes on his back, Ichigo turned and saw his wife standing by the door. "You're awake." He said curtly as he parried the blade of his opponent. "You can call someone to make breakfast."

"I already made breakfast." She replied, looking at him curiously. "How long have you been out here? And oh, for the record, I wasn't the one who taught Inoue how to cook."

"So I don't have to worry about food poisoning?"

Rukia raised an elegant eyebrow. "Please, it would be weird if I kill you a day after the wedding. Besides," she added, shrugging carelessly "If I wanted to kill you, I won't resort to such underhand methods. Trust me, you'll know – and you'll get a fighting chance to try and stop me."

Any other man would have been caught unaware by such a brash statement. Rukia had a way of saying things emphatically yet vaguely, which did well to confuse anyone. Instead of asking if she was joking or change the subject into something more normal, Ichigo just gave a small smirk "You're certainly welcome to try."

Without another word, Rukia spun on her heel and headed back indoors.

Focusing on his opponent, Ichigo steadied himself for the next level in the program. Urahara designed it in such a way that more and more dummies joined in the fray whenever Ichigo slowed down his pace. This was to force him to defeat his opponent faster or at least hold his ground when he became outnumbered.

Well, as Yoruichi once said: Bring it on.

"Shakkahō!"

With barely enough time to react, Ichigo leapt high in the air just in time to see the dummies charred by such a large blast of kidō. As he landed on the ground, surprised, he felt someone dash from behind him. Bringing up his zanpaktuô, Ichigo blocked the end of a blade. "What the hell?"

"Die, Kurosaki!" Rukia said venomously as she once again brought up her sword.

"Rukia!" he shouted as he parried her attacks. What in the world was wrong with her? Debating on whether or not he should attack, he unknowingly gave the other the chance to launch a barrage of attacks. "What in Soul Society's name are you doing?"

"Enough talking!" she snarled "This time, we will end this!"

"What are you talking about?" he asked as he weaved to the side. "Do you want my father to kill me because I fought you?" Shit, did she somehow snap and lose her marbles? What happened last night anyway?

"I swore upon the graves of my family, I will make you pay!"

Now completely confused, Ichigo shoved Rukia forcefully aside "The hell? You don't even know where they are buried!"

"Justice will be served!" Shouted Rukia as she threw a red blast in his direction.

Damn, thought Ichigo as he rolled to the side only to be met with Rukia's charging form. She was good. Rukia was seriously good at fighting. Despite the fact that she was not strong enough – her sword thrusts were still a bit shallow to put serious, mortal damage – her movements were fast and agile. She was able to change directions fluidly easily. It was unnerving to imagine her with high-level shunpo and a strong sword arm.

Ichigo had to admit grudgingly, if she got any better, he would be in serious trouble. "Snap out of it, Rukia! I don't want to injure you!"

"Your days as a tyrant will be over and I will set the people free!"

What the heck was that about? Ichigo wondered as he froze in place.

Across him, Rukia rolled her eyes in annoyance. "What, was it too lame for you?" she huffed, her chest heaving with labored breathing. "You didn't want to be a tyrant?"

"What was that all about!" Ichigo shouted in frustration. "Have you gone completely mental?"

"Listen here." Rukia said impatiently, "I wanted a spar. So get back on your stance and fight me. On another note, fight me seriously. You're insulting me by holding back."

For a moment, only the slow rustling of the wind could be heard. The dried leaves that had fallen were slowly spread about, some even spun lazily in the air before descending gracefully onto the ground. Suddenly, Ichigo found his voice "You wanted to spar with me?" he asked dumbly. "But… what was that you were… talking about?"

Rukia frowned. "That's how we spar in the 13th division." She said slowly. "When I spar with the third seats, that is."

"You role-play?" he asked in surprise. What in Seiretei's name was that all about?

Blushing furiously, Rukia tried her best to give him her most severe glare. "Well you spar in such a boring way. Sentaro-san and Kiyone-san are much interesting opponents than you. Doesn't it get boring to do the same thing over and over again?"

"What?" he says in equal surprise. Was everyone in their division loonies? "What does your Taicho say about that?"

"Kyouraku Taicho actually drops by to watch with him." Rukia said smugly. "He says we're very creative and artistic."

"Oh god." Mutters Ichigo. They were nutters, each and every one of them. Suddenly, he just looked up to realize one important detail. "Rukia! You're still wearing your Yukata! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Giving him a look that clearly said he was stupid and that she knew it even before he did, Rukia smugly said, "If someone wanted to kill you, would they allow you to change into your hakama first? Geez, how did you become a taicho?" She straightened up again "So, are you going to spar with me yet, or do you plan to stand like that the whole day?"

"Rukia," Ichigo gritted out "change into your hakama and gi." The idiot did not even realize that her yukata was parted slightly – both at the bottom and top parts. In fact, he could already see her kneecaps and a slight skin of her chest.

"Eh?"

"You're flashing certain body parts." He said simply, feeling a headache building.

Rukia looked down. "Oh." she said simply, though there was a slight red hue that was flashing across her face. Okay, maybe 'slight' was not a good word, because the red was even at her neck and down to…

"JUST GET DRESSED." He snapped.

"Well excuse me for offending your prudish sensibilities." She retorted. "I failed to realize that my leg and chest showing would cause you to have a coronary." Instead of going back indoors to change, she stepped even closer to Ichigo, holding up her zanpaktuô to defend herself.

Angry with him for not taking her seriously, Rukia immediately took an offensive position and charged at him. She brought down her zanpaktuô in a graceful arc that narrowly missed Ichigo's ear by centimeters "Fight me! Do you think that I can't spar with a taicho without him holding back?"

"Don't be an idiot." He snapped as he deflected another attack "If you wanted a spar, you could have just asked nicely."

"Then what are you waiting for? Attack me already!"

"Not until you change your clothes, I won't." Ichigo spat "If you want to get a decent spar with me, you do as I say."

Rukia threw a blast of red flame at his general direction "Oh come on. You're wound up because of that?" she asked incredulously "I thought I was the Kuchiki here not you. Haven't you heard of improvisation?"

Improvisation my foot, thought Ichigo as he looked at his wife glare at her. Contrary to what she thought, Ichigo was actually a very smart man. True, he often acted before he thought of a visible plan, but his flashes of insight especially when in battle made him a formidable opponent. It was pretty obvious that the minx was planning something. And considering it was Rukia, the odds that it would be against him were high.

Still pressing her advantage, Rukia was too caught up in trying to get Ichigo to attack her directly that she failed to see him slash his zanpaktuô at her direction. "What?" she asked. Instead of replying, Ichigo shrugged and gave her a sardonic yet cheeky grin. To her surprise, the sleeve of her yukata dropped halfway down her arm courtesy of a direct hit from her husband's zanpaktuô. "You asshole!"

"What?" he asked in amusement. "Credit me with a brain, will you? Fighting while in a yukata is a definite tactic used by women. It might work on someone like Keigo, you know."

With another slash, the other sleeve fell down.

Rukia raised an eyebrow "I didn't know you were channeling Keigo today."

"Rukia, you can't expect a person not to take advantage of an opening, would you?"

"Only you could take a war tactic out of context and twist it into something perverted." She said dryly as she successfully evaded another encounter with the end of Ichigo's zanpaktuô. "Really Taicho, I thought that you were above tricks like this…"

Oh yes, she was an actress all right, a first-rate one if he might add. "When dealing with YOU – I figured I had to pull out all the stops." Ichigo retorted, albeit good-naturedly as he continued to slash, flaying the hem of Rukia's yukata.

"Does that involve pulling out all the threads from my clothes?"

Ichigo looked at her seriously, "Let me strike a deal – you change into your hakama and gi and I will stop."

"Like I said," she gritted out icily, "I doubt anyone planning to assassinate me would give me a reprieve so I can change into my shinigami clothing. In fact, I would even expect an attempt while I'm asleep or while I'm taking a bath."

In the back of his mind, Ichigo knew he was acting like a petulant child – and that she was right too. Logically, he should be pleased that his wife had a sensible head on her shoulders (and yes, what a lovely head it was), but he stomped his foot instead. "Listen here you, I say you change into a hakama and gi – and I mean NOW. Are you planning to expose yourself to strangers, or is that what you do all the time?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes in annoyance, as Kuchiki's were way above juvenile displays of emotions –

Yeah, like you haven't been acting like one since you were in the 14th division, Rukia's treacherous mind was telling her. Rukia clamped down the guilty feeling and faced Ichigo squarely. "Might I remind you that I am not 'exposing' myself to strangers since it is clear that we are ALL ALONE right now?"

All alone.

No one was around.

All alone.

In their honeymoon.

The two looked at each other.

"I think I'll go take a bath." Rukia said nervously, sheathing her zanpaktuô hurriedly.

"I'll go have breakfast… I'm hungry." Ichigo agreed, walking indoors with flurried movements. "See you later, then."

Rukia didn't even stop in her tracks. "Of course." She said quietly.

"Ano…" Trailed Ichigo before she could walk out "Would you… like to go fishing?" his tone was unsure; if it was about hearing her answer or finding out the reasons why he asked, even he did not know. Then again, he had been wondering how he could make them more at ease with each other.

Until they were able to answer all her questions about her past and Aizen's involvement in it, they should at least try to act civilly with each other and not act as if a bomb was waiting to go off between them anytime. Perhaps she would like to see if they could make this arrangement more comfortable – at least make them stop hurling insults at each other with unmatched speeds or something.

Would Rukia be willing to do that or would she still see him as a threat?

"Rukia?"

Instead of turning around, Rukia glanced up to see the white clouds crawl lazily. The wind was strong yet gentle as it made the blades of grass dance and the flowers bob merrily. Her frayed yukata's hem fluttered gently before resting again against her legs and the loose strands of her hair drifted over her face like a light veil. From her position, she could see the sun shine brightly, but hiding from sight only to come out occasionally and bathe the grounds below in a soft, warm light.

All in all it was a beautiful day.

Finally, Rukia took another step to leave, pausing for a moment "I'm not particularly good in fishing. Will you teach me how?" she asked softly to the wind.

From behind her, a similarly quiet voice replied "Aa."

Smiling slightly, Rukia walked on.

…

…

…

"The owner really looks pensive, doesn't he?" the grumpy voice of Jinta said carefully as he peered from behind the shoji screen. "He doesn't wear that expression ever. Even when we got massive refund and exchange forms for faulty merchandise last year. I wonder what ticked him off this time…"

Beside him, Ururu, the brunette child nodded shyly. "Kisuke-san has been looking at the calendar again."

"Yeah; last night, I heard him mutter that if 'Yoruichi-san doesn't return by the day after the day after tomorrow, she might not be returning for a long time.'

"Poor Kisuke-san… missing his cat."

"Idiot!" Jinta said as he hit the girl on the head, causing her to mutter a pained 'ouch.' "The owner really is weird to be pining after a cat that much. I wonder if –

Suddenly, large fists suddenly hit the two children on the head simultaneously. "What are you two talking about?"

As the three started a mini-riot, Kisuke continued to calmly sip his tea as he gazed outside the window. His usual cautious and cynical self was looking for traces of imperfect climate conditions. Karakura-cho really had one of the worst weather conditions in Japan. All that global warming thing was making it rain and then become too sunny quickly. However that day, there was a gentle breeze that whistled by, giving the people something to be happy about. Below his view were a couple of children running around, playing tag, their delighted squeals filling the sunny skies. It was a perfect kind of weather, actually.

And that was what caused Urahara to feel apprehension. "Keep your eyes peeled, Yoruichi-san." He murmured to the passing wind, hoping that somehow it would reach the one he wanted to talk to.

…

…

…

Rukia's melodious laughter drifted from the stream. "That was fun!" she said impishly, as she saw Ichigo up to his waist in the water after he attempted to wrestle a particularly large and stubborn fish that pulled him down the bank. It would have been okay for Ichigo had he not slipped on the mud and tumbled into the water with a splash.

"You know, you could have offered some help." He grumbled as he eyed his still dry and warm wife who was laughing unabashedly at his plight. Of course, it was enough to provoke Ichigo's temper like a red flag, and he was just a few seconds away from blowing a fuse. "Oi, stop laughing, will you!"

However, his wife continued to laugh at his predicament. "I can't help it, you had this really idiotic look on your face." Rukia quickly scrambled to higher ground after seeing the look on Ichigo's face. "No, you are not going to trick me into 'helping' you get out of there." She tittered. "I know all the dirty tricks in the book."

All the dirty tricks in the book? Ichigo doubted that someone raised as a Kuchiki even KNEW what being dirty means. His question must have shown in his face, because Rukia waggled a finger in front of her like the oldest of her tutors whenever she gave a wrong answer to those useless and pointless questions. "Yes, I am aware of THAT dirty trick and there is no way in Hueco Mundo will you be able to pull it on me."

"Stuck up prissy bitch." Ichigo muttered under his breath as he hauled himself out of the water. "Would it kill you to be nice?" Suddenly, he came face to face with Rukia holding a large knife. "What are you doing with that?" he asked warily, eyeing the thing she held in her hand "You do know it as a joke right? Me calling you a stuck up prissy –

"Finish that and I will skin you alive." Rukia warned in a deadly serious tone. Then she gave him a small smile "You do want me cook that fish, right? Unless you suddenly had a hankering for sashimi."

Ichigo opened his mouth to answer, when he and Rukia suddenly felt the incoming rush of reiatsu. Quickly, the two stood to attention, their zanpaktuô's held innocently close to them should anything occur.

Rukia chuckled "You're turning me paranoid, Ichigo."

"You're making me cautious, midget." Was the only thing Ichigo said before several members of the Secret Mobile Corps appeared around them.

Ichigo stood to his full height. "Is there anything I can do for the SMC?" From the corner of his eye he could see Soi Fon Taicho standing a good distance from behind Rukia without making any move to attack. This was the only reason he did not draw his zanpaktuô.

"Kurosaki Taicho." The cold voice of the 10th division taicho, Hitsugaya Toushiro was heard. From around a massive tree, the smaller captain stepped out. "By orders of the Central 46, you are hereby placed under arrest."

"On what charges Hitsugaya?"

Beside him, Rukia stiffened as Hinamori Momo fukutaicho also appeared.

"For attacking the 6th division and for the kidnapping of Kuchiki Rukia."

**C. LeShay's corner**:

Gyah! Another chapter done.

Okay, so I tried not to make Ichigo and Rukia as OoC as possible. As well as the other characters for that matter. I mean, the whole calling each other names is good, but married people don't exactly call their wives bitches and their husbands as bastards, right? Plus they're working together now. For better or for worse, they have to at least keep up pretenses of their camaraderie. I watched too many asianovelas to know that. Of course, knowing IchiRuki, they WILL slip up sometime and hopefully that's just during when they are alone.

I seem to use flashbacks too often… I have to remedy it in the succeeding chapters.

Again, this chapter was really difficult to write, because this is the pivotal chapter that will signify all hell breaking loose in this fanfict series. I had to give it one last IchiRuki tension before Ichigo gets arrested. After all, he did something wrong too. From the first chapter you all knew he really wasn't going to get away with it. Okay, so Hinamori made it in time to get Ichigo arrested, watch out for the arrival of Byakuya and Aizen. Everything is going to unravel now; would it be too much to ask for reviews and encouragements? I didn't get much last time, and I'm kinda worried that not that many people enjoyed chapter 6. Heck, I don't even know if you'd like this. LOL.

And oh, I changed the spelling of the hougyoku here. The previous chapters still retain the previous spelling. I don't have time to go back and make the changes. Maybe sometime in the future.

I'd like to welcome the presence of **recklessflight** at the helm: thanks for the input! She was my beta for MTDFD and SFD (you all know what they are). Hmm… yeah, her disappearance gave birth to the _un-betaed_ phase where I posted stuff with typos. Fortunately, that ended with the arrival of **Kaya** and **Jazzjackrabbit.** Between my betas, I have a fairly wonderful writing life. Thanks to you guys. Plus, hi to the members of my e-family who reviewed (**Mizu no Tenshi **and** bunnisteffi)**; especially to **07Janina07**, the deadline-oriented mommy who is my source of M-rated fics. Your inputs helped me a lot here, and the soon to be written lemon will be done in your honor (WHEN it happens, and its still a LONG WAY off).


	8. Chapter 8

Heart's Desire Chapter 8 By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13). The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

Warning: the obligatory fluff chapter; I'll try to tone it down as much as I can, okay? Plus, the much-mentioned Byakuya **FINALLY** makes an appearance. Then again, there aren't that much dialogue here, especially towards the last part of this chapter.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

_Ichigo stood to his full height. "Is there anything I can do for the SMC?" From the corner of his eye he could see Soi Fon Taicho standing a good distance from behind Rukia without making any move to attack. This was the only reason he did not draw his zanpaktuô._

"_Kurosaki Taicho." The cold voice of the 10__th__ division taicho, Hitsugaya Toushiro was heard. From around a massive tree, the smaller captain stepped out. "By orders of the Central 46, you are hereby placed under arrest."_

"_On what charges Hitsugaya?"_

_Beside him, Rukia stiffened as Hinamori Momo fukutaicho also appeared._

"_For attacking the 6__th__ division and for the kidnapping of Kuchiki Rukia."_

…

…

…

"Is there anything you need, Kurosaki Taicho?" Hitsugaya asked politely as he looked back at the other taicho was seated calmly behind the doors of his cell. Of course, despite his current predicament, Kurosaki Ichigo was still at the same rank as he was, so Hitsugaya was forced to be more cordial than what he wanted. Yet he looked at the other man with guarded eyes, watching the man who had crushed the headquarters of the 6th division with just a great handful of men with him.

"I'm fine, Toushiro. Thanks for the comfy accommodations. I can't wait to let you try ours sometime. Do you want me to reserve you a cell?" Ichigo said snidely.

The shorter taicho gripped at his patience harder. "This will only be temporary, Kurosaki. Until the Central 46 comes up with their decision, that is."

Despite the gross exaggeration of the said siege, not that many were killed. True, there was bloodbath, and almost all of Kuchiki taicho's remaining men were either in sickbay, lost their shinigami abilities, or just fell shy from their second death; but the bottom line was, they had more casualties in Rukongai when hollows found their way there. They were taken out in such a brisk and orderly manner for a siege that only lasted several days. Even more surprising was that no one seemed to remember what happened at all.

Hitsugaya did not know how this happened. Was it because Kuchiki Rukia turned out to be an excellent commander who took over the squad of her brother in his absence (despite being from a different division)? Or was it because Kurosaki Ichigo and his men showed restraint and a level of ability that was above the 6th division's seated as well as rank and file shinigami? That mystery alone made Hitsugaya extra wary of the Taicho from the 14th division. And by association, Kuchiki Taicho's younger sister.

Behind him, Matsumoto, was keeping an eye on Kuchiki Rukia who refused to leave the holding cells. His fukutaicho may think that she was ordered to protect the noblewoman, but Hitsugaya wanted Matsumoto to be nearby for other reasons.

Because honestly, Kuchiki Rukia's loyalties may be somewhere else already.

"Kuchiki Rukia, don't you think its time you return to your brother's home or to your division at least?" Hitsugaya asked quietly, his voice carefully modulated to hide his questions. If there were anything that would be a threat to Soul Society, he would put a stop to it – no matter what the cost.

"I wish to stay, if you don't mind, Hitsugaya Taicho." Rukia said evenly, as her eyes took in everything that transpired. She remained a respectful, unobtrusive distance behind him but her presence was constant and her gaze unwaveringly taking everything around her in consideration. It was like she was not there but there at the same time. "Of course, someone will have to inform Isshin-dono about this."

Matsumoto laughed jovially, "Don't worry, Kuchiki-san, we've already sent shinigami to the 14th. I'm sure, Kurosaki Taicho's family will be here soon."

Rukia wanted to retort that SHE was his family, but was stopped as she saw Hinamori fukutaicho step in. Now she was sure that Aizen Taicho and her brother knew. It wouldn't be long now… and she would meet up with them. That was a prospect she didn't relish to experience.

Hinamori stepped beside her "Let me escort you, Kuchiki-dono." She said, "I think that it's about time you went back to your brother's home. I'm sure they'll be here soon."

Of course they would, and that was what Rukia feared. "I would like to stay."

"Rukia-san!" Hinamori gasped, her surprise making her call her as informal as she could dare go. "Everyone is worried for you. Aizen taicho –

"I have to stay here until his father arrives. I have to make sure nothing happens to him." She insisted, looking at the 10th division Taicho seriously.

Hitsugaya turned to face the Kuchiki noble in irritation. He had heard that Kuchiki Rukia could be a pain in the ass if she wanted to, and obviously she was being one right now. Why couldn't she act like a normal noble this time? "I assure you, Kuchiki, no harm will happen to Kurosaki Taicho –

"Will you shut up for a while, all of you." Ichigo's voice lashed out like a whip. "You're giving me a headache."

Hitsugaya glared at the orange-haired taicho, his patience wearing thinner by the minute. "May I remind you," he gritted out angrily "that as of this moment you are in no means able to give out orders?"

"Didn't you just want me to be all comfy and stuff?" Ichigo challenged.

"I was merely extending professional courtesy, Kurosaki." The anger was now unmistakable in the other taicho's voice. "It seems that you are not aware of the consequences of your actions. I wonder what has gotten into your head to make you act like a lunatic beneath your station?"

"Do not talk to my husband that way."

Everyone turned to Rukia. "What?" Hinamori asked fearfully, in a small voice.

Rukia looked directly at Hitsugaya's eyes, the noble in her back in place. "He is married to a Kuchiki, address him in a way that is befitting to a Kuchiki."

"EH?" Shrieked Matsumoto. "You MARRIED Kurosaki taicho?" She giggled with unhidden glee as she looked intently at Rukia then Ichigo. "Oh this will be the juiciest gossip that will hit Seiretei! I am so gonna ask for drinks in exchange for news."

Beside her, Hinamori was looking at Rukia in horror. "But Kuchiki-dono, you're engaged to Aizen taicho."

Ignoring the outburst, Rukia instead looked at her husband who was also looking back at her from his cell. Her face was again devoid of any expression except annoyance while he scowled back. Unfortunately, both had not talked about how they wanted their marriage to be made public knowledge. Ichigo had only mentioned fleetingly that he wanted to say it in front of Byakuya and Aizen.

The conversation did not get past that point after Rukia commented that Ichigo had a hammy acting voice, and that her brother would not buy it.

"Go back to your brother's home." Ichgio told her "I'm sure he's already there. I'm sure both Ishida and Inoue are outside now; let them take you."

For the others who were with them, Ichigo's statement may seem like he was worried for Rukia and at the same time it was a blatant claim of his ownership of her. Yet Rukia knew that he wanted Ishida to know everything that went on with Rukia's impending encounter with her brother and Aizen, in lieu of his absence.

Rukia knew she had no choice but agree. Like it or not, she was now a Kurosaki, and she definitely had to make sure there were no covert plans and conspiracies against her husband and his family. Even if she did not completely believe her husband's ideologies, she was honor-bound to support him – to an extent. Besides, she was the only one who can convince her brother to drop any charges he planned against Ichigo. Obviously, if he was in jail, he wouldn't be able to prove his claim about Aizen, nor could he help her find her parents' murderers either. "Very well. I will go now, but I will be returning tomorrow for a visit." Saying that, she bowed to Hitsugaya, "I shall take my leave now, Hitsugaya taicho. Please see to my husband's safety."

Hitsugaya knew that this was no mere request. The unknown reason for her command was something that baffled the taicho. "I most certainly will, Kuchiki… Kurosaki-dono." He said, only missing a slight beat.

Giving Ichigo one last look that said nothing in particular, Rukia went out to follow a still shell-shocked Hinamori out of the holding cells. At the signal from Hitsugaya, Matsumoto likewise followed the two outside.

Minutes after the noble was out of hearing distance, Hitsugaya turned to the other man. "You MARRIED Kuchiki Rukia? Are you out of your mind?" he asked. "Did you somehow forget that as a noble she couldn't just marry without her brother's permission? Or maybe you forgot that she was betrothed to Aizen?"

There was no reply.

"Kurosaki." Hitsugaya gritted out "You risk creating yourself a deeper hole to be buried in. Granted attempted rebellion is the worst kind of atrocity you can commit in Seretei, but having Aizen take a personal vendetta against you is –

"Well I married her – isn't it too late for that now, Toushiro?"

"You ass." Snarled Hitsugaya "Did you not think of the consequences?" Despite being known as one of the most serious Taichos in Gotei 14, Hitsugaya Toushiro considered himself more comfortable around Ichigo. True, they might have not agreed on many things all the time, and neither were they close enough to be friends, but it was the 14th division Taicho who was the only one who understood the pressure of being inducted to the highest position in the militia at a relatively young age. Even if he had served for a good number of years and proved his worth in battle and in commanding people, Hitsugaya still felt that many shinigami accepted his authority grudgingly out of fear and protocol. For him and Ichigo, each day meant another chance to prove that they deserved their position; and another opportunity for someone else to topple them down. Being stronger than possible was a goal that the two shared – aside from the paranoia and bouts of self-consciousness.

"Not at the time." Ichigo answered dismissively, as if the topic was of little importance to him.

"Can it be dissolved?"

From his cot in the cell, Ichigo snorted "Not a chance in hell."

"Not a chance in – Kurosaki," Hitsugaya asked sharply "Was it out of NECESSITY that you had to marry Kuchiki Rukia?" There was a slight tinge of red along the bridge of his nose, something that did not escape the notice of the other man.

For the first time since he was brought in, Kurosaki Ichigo allowed himself to chuckle. "Oh, Toushiro is curious."

"Damn you, Kurosaki!"

As quick as it came, the amusement left Ichigo. He looked at the other Taicho directly. "I HAD to marry her. There really was no other way out of it."

The ambiguous reply only confused Hitasugaya more.

…

…

…

Rukia was surprised to see the 6th division looking like nothing happened to it. She knew her brother's officers worked fast – but this was ridiculous. In less than two weeks, everything was back to normal.

As the gates were opened, Rukia felt a lump lodge itself in her throat. Throughout the trip from the 10th division to the sixth, Rukia was silent. She and Inoue did not discuss anything, nor was Ishida forthcoming. Beside them, Hinamori Momo did her best to ignore her. Rukia wanted to sigh. Aizen's fukutaicho had a serious case of hero worship that possibly bordered on something else, it was expected that she be angry at her apparent betrayal.

However if she were honest, Rukia did not particularly care about Hinamori's feelings – not when she was more worried about her brother and his reaction.

From ahead of them Rukia saw the telltale red hair of Abarai Renji, her brother's fukutaicho. Great, her brother did not leave him behind despite the fact that they were at war in Hueco Mundo. That only meant this was really serious and could possibly take a while to iron out. Belatedly, Rukia wondered if Ishida could handle Zabimaru's attacks. Well, Renji did often act like a protective older brother while she was growing up, and he was fairly nice to Inoue too. If anything, she was sure that Renji would blow up in anger at what happened to her.

Now Ishida… as her husband's fukutaicho, Rukia was sure that whatever protection he gave his Taicho would be extended to her as well. Loyalty to one's superior officer was not a rare thing in the Gotei 14. Honestly, this was what scared Rukia. As a Kurosaki, her place was now with her husband. Temporary the arrangement might be, Ishida would probably make a fuss if she wasn't allowed to return to the 14th. It wasn't that she doubted the Quincy's battle abilities – it was the fact that he was back in the place he trashed before. Come to think of it, it was by Ishida's hand that a good number of men in the 6th lost their powers as shinigami when he destroyed with pinpoint accuracy the sources of their reiatsu. That just proved how dangerous an opponent the bespectacled fukutaicho was. What Rukia was concerned of was the wrath of her brother. True, he may act like he cared about nothing, but Rukia was aware that a blow to the Kuchiki/shinigami pride did not go unpunished for Kuchiki Byakuya.

Judging by the way Inoue was siding beside him as they walked, Rukia knew her friend was thinking about the exact same thing.

The glares that the shinigami of the 6th was giving them were enough to cause a chill, but Ishida was holding up pretty well. Rukia felt a vague sense of pride knowing that Ichigo's men were able to handle the pressure.

Renji's frowning face was looming larger and larger. Rukai wanted to think that her imagination was the cause, because he looked far more menacing than the time he returned from a mission where the men he took with him died.

"RUKIA." Renji's voice booms, "Welcome back. Thank you, Hinamori fukutaicho." He says, nodding towards the other officer who looked like she was in shock. Renji wanted to ask what it was about, but he decided to do so later after he got Rukia back.

Rukia clenched her fists unconsciously, "Renji."

Her friend looked at her all over, as if judging the kinds of hardships he thought she experienced. His eyes burned over her as he looked pointedly at the bones protruding at her wrists, the slightly noticeable thinning of her face, and the tension on her shoulders. His gaze went only to Inoue's for a split second before it returned to her. After being sure that she had no severe injuries of any sort, his unwavering glare hit Ishida full blast.

Without meaning to, Inoue sided closer to the other man. It was an action that Renji saw. "Inoue, step aside and come up here."

She remained silent, her eyes fixed on the ground she was standing on.

"INOUE ORIHIME."

Gasping, Inoue looked up to see the furious look in Renji's eyes. Suppressing a shudder, she turned to look at Rukia who nodded her reassurance. Finally, she was able to muster enough courage to step away from Ishida and walk closer to Rukia instead. "Hello Renji." She said, trying to be as cheerful as she could. "Lovely weather is it not?"

Renj glared. "Well? What are you still standing here for?"

"Renji." Rukia said quietly, "Ishida fukutaicho is here on my behest. Please treat him as you would treat me."

"What the hell?" Spat Renji, "What are you talking about Rukia? This is the man who destroyed and annihilated all of 6th division's men!"

Raising up a hand to quiet him, Rukia looked at her friend in the eye. "Renji. You do him too much credit by saying that he single-handedly did the assault in the 6th division." As she saw the red come out more across the face of her brother's fukutaicho, she continued on "Ishida fukutaicho did not annihilate your subordinates. In case you forgotten, a lot more are still surprisingly alive. It's thanks to Inoue here that they were all treated before they could sustain severe damage. Last but not the least, Ishida fukutaicho was only following orders that were given by the one who had authority over him."

Gritting his teeth in annoyance Renji said nothing but just grunted to show that he acknowledged the order. Motioning the others to follow, he spun back on his heel and walked into the division.

…

…

…

Kuchiki Byakuya was a name everyone in Seiretei was familiar with. Heck, among the taicho's of the 14th Gotei squads, he was the most influential ever. As the current head of the noblest clan in the afterlife, he had access to important documents, businesses, and properties that were very much a dream for the regular soul. Because of his status, to meet with Kuchiki Byakuya meant only two things: you did something REALLY good, or you did something REALLY bad.

As Rukia walked to her brother's study, she felt this insane urge to run away and hide. Of course it was useless, if Byakuya could not find traces of reiatsu, the men he could hire definitely would – since they would be in large numbers to ensure that no stone was left unturned in Soul Society. When she was younger, Rukia once fancied that her brother's bodyguards were as plentiful as the shinigami he had in his division.

"You can't go in until he asks for you, Quincy. I even doubt if he wants to see your ugly mug." Renji said in a low tone as he blocked the path to the door just as Rukia was about to step in, anger coloring his low voice. Abarai Renji was a pretty simple man. When he was angry, he was angry – and he settled things with Zabimaru or his fists and nothing else. Now, he wonders if he should have learned a thing or two from his taicho. Since fighting did not seem to faze the Quincy (plus he had an awful advantage over shinigami), Renji was now feeling so enraged that he wanted to hit Ishida with something that would definitely pain him: paperwork.

If there was one thing Renji knew it was that no fukutaicho ever wanted to do paperwork. Hell, no taicho even wanted to do it; which was why his taicho was very anal about making sure that their paperwork would be finished on time. For him, there were only two types of shinigami that were willing to stay indoors and scribble than hunt for hollows: one who was driven to please and be noticed AND one who was extremely bored.

After the part Ishida played in the siege at the 6th division, Renji vowed to swamp him with all kinds of paperwork – from a variety of inter-division forms – that he could come up with. It didn't matter if he had to stay up all night to write those petitions and complaints – as long as the annoying Quincy got more (he was counting on Aizen taicho and Ukitake taicho to do the same), anything was worth it.

Of course, if he could avoid this unnecessary sacrifice and just be allowed to hit the Quincy, life – or the afterlife in his case – would never be any better.

Ishida looked at Rukia who nodded. "If I hear her call for me, I WILL force my way in." he told the red-head. "I don't care what reasons you have, but I have my orders."

Renji raised an eyebrow "Really? Why wouldn't she be safe in her brother's division?"

"Renji." Warned Rukia as she gave her friend a withering glance. "We don't have time for this…"

But Ishida chose that moment to show his stubborn streak. "I will only leave her be if she's in the 13th division; these are the orders given to me."

"She's a Kuchiki –

"Enough." Rukia gritted out. "How am I supposed to go in when you're blocking the door, Renji?"

In embarrassment, Renji stepped aside. Sending a glare to quiet the others, he cleared his throat before knocking. "Taicho. Your sister just got back. I'm sending her in."

As the door was opened, Rukia walked in as quietly as she could, her eye fixing immediately on the man seated behind the desk. Kuchiki Byakuya, the current head of the illustrious and affluent noble clan of the Kuchikis. Her brother had been the taicho of the 6th division for many years yet Rukia still remembers the ceremony and the extravagant feast that was held in his honor. Of all her years in Seiretei, nothing burned in her mind more than the sight of her noble brother as she saw him garbed with his taicho's haori for the first time.

She remembered rushing out of the manor to greet him, only to stop in her tracks as she felt a different aura about him. It had nothing to do with his already impressive reiatsu, rather it was all about his stance. Against the glare of the sunlight Rukia saw her brother, his haori fluttering in the breeze at the same time as his hair; the silky strands of long ebony shimmering as it reflected the rays of the sun in the all-too familiar kenseikan. As he slowly turned to face her, Rukia noticed for the first time the almost perfect angles of his face and the calm yet piercing stare that were held in his eyes.

Amusement bubbled within her as Rukia noticed the gaped mouths of the women who followed him on his way home. Even the most hardened shinigami woman was definitely not immune to the cold yet angelic visage of Kuchiki Byakuya. It was a good thing he was her brother because Rukia knew that to be in his constant presence was enough to make a woman fall for him hard.

Unfortunately, at the present, amusement or awe was the farthest thing in Rukia's mind.

"Rukia."

"Nii-sama." She said, bowing deeply. "I have… returned."

Byakuya said nothing as he shuffled the papers, piling them away. Then he looked up and focused his attention on his sister. "Take a seat. Would you like some tea?"

"No thank you, nii-sama; I'm fine." Seeing that her brother was looking at her intently, Rukia decided to keep silent and let him lead the conversation. The problem was, Byakuya also employed the same manner when dealing with anyone, so the possibility of them spending the time in uncomfortable silence was high.

"Welcome home, Rukia."

Rukia's head snapped up so her eyes could meet her brother's. **He **was welcoming her home? Right; and soon after he'd say that he was worried or _possibly_ proud of her, right? Pft.

"I'm glad to see you safe and sound, Rukia. I often wondered what would have happened to you when I heard that you were abducted."

Resisting the urge to gape and babble unintelligently, Rukia settled for blinking owlishly. It was unnerving to hear her brother say anything of that sort to her.

Byakuya sat straighter "I also heard that you were the one who held up the division's defenses. That if it wasn't for you, the 14th would have breached the walls of the shinigami residences and subsequently, the Kuchiki manor."

Was it a compliment? "Nii-sama, I only did what I could do." Rukia said weakly. "They were able to raze the nearby farms just outside the walls… it was short of a miracle that we were able to prevent them from getting through the defenses."

"Under your orders, a lot of my shinigami and their families were kept safe. As a Kuchiki, your skill and knowledge is expected. No doubt, Ukitake will be pleased."

Okay, so it was a roundabout way of conveying appreciation, but Rukia was not the type to ignore the fact that her brother said he was pleased with her actions. So far. "I am glad to be of assistance." Hoping against hope, Rukia wondered if she would be promoted to a seat this time.

As Rukia was lost in her thoughts, Byakuya took his time to study the sister that his wife gave him. The first time he saw her, she was crying in Hisana's arms. When they were rescued, the little Rukia did not speak and remained catatonic for several weeks. After she recovered from her injuries, it was discovered that Rukia developed amnesia due to the stress she was forced to endure.

Hisana was heartbroken by the news. Her anger and disappointment doubled as she saw just how much of her life was stolen from her by their family's assailants. Even if she wanted to take care of her sister, Hisana became afraid of being close to Rukia. It was as if her younger sister was out of her reach, unable to remember their family. The knowledge broke Hisana terribly. In the end she accepted the offer of Byakuya's parents to adopt Rukia as their own child and take her away from the place that caused them so much grief. Even if everything in Hisana was rebelling against it, she knew that the only way Rukia would have a normal life – a normal childhood – was if she completely became someone else.

For Byakuya there was no sacrifice as great as what Hisana did for her sister. It was the selflessness of the young woman that taught him the value of responsibility and the nature of unconditional love. There were times that Byakuya suspected that Hisana married him out of pity or gratitude for saving her life, but he knew that she was trying to help him find his way in life even if she has lost the will to live hers.

"Nii-sama?" Rukia asked hesitantly.

Come to think of it, Hisana just withered away a few years after their marriage. For five years he saw the way she destroyed herself in private while she gave him smiles that made his worries lighter.

"Nii-sama…"

Byakuya mused on the events that led to him being the brother of his wife's beloved sister. He knew there was nothing he regretted and he was pleased that his sister grew up into a fine woman. However, as he promised Hisana, he would make sure she would be safe – that meant she would not take difficult missions if he could help it. She was Hisana's legacy, and he would be damned if he didn't keep his wife's legacy safe for her.

"Nii-sama?"

"Yes?"

Rukia forced herself not to fidget "Would you be pressing charges against Kurosaki Ichigo."

Byakuya wondered about the validity of the question. "We follow rules Rukia. To break them must mean one should also deal with the consequences."

"Can you drop the charges against Kurosaki Ichigo?"

Her brother hardly blinked. "The question is pointless. He ravaged the 6th division for no reason at all, and then he kidnapped you. Do you not think that the answer is obvious, Rukia?"

"He had a reason, Nii-sama." Rukia said, feeling her throat constrict her breathing. This was the moment she was dreading…

Byakuya stared at her impassively, "Did you find that out while you were in captivity?"

"Yes."

The head of the Kuchiki house leaned back carefully in his chair "Then what was his reason, Rukia?"

Rukia took a deep breath. "Me. It was me that he wanted, nii-sama."

"Explain, Rukia."

Clenching her hands to hide the tremors that were running down her body, Rukia took a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak "I'm married to him, nii-sama."

…

…

…

Back in his cell, Ichigo sat as comfortably as he could. Of course it was no easy feat, the 10th division cells were about as comfortable as a straw mat over a slab of bricks. Damn that Hitsugaya. Back in the 14th, holding cells had cots that were softer and more comfortable. Prisoners were still treated properly unless they were to be interrogated. Thinking about his offer to Hitsugaya, Ichigo came to the conclusion that his divisions cells were too comfortable to the other taicho who had such a huge stick stuck up in his ass. If he wanted to torture Hitsugaya, he should stick him in a cell with Matsumoto and a lot of sake. With luck, the 10th taicho would probably decided to kill himself to escape the misery.

Or, he could let Rukia keep him company. Now THAT was a fate worse than death.

As soon as he thought of his wife, Ichigo's mood dampened considerably. Ishida was yet to report to him what happened therefore he assumed that whatever conversation she had with her brother wasn't over yet. Then again, there was a possibility that Ishida was thrown in jail too, unless Rukia chickened out. At any rate, he would know if Rukia spilled the beans already, not just because Ishida would report it to him, but also because Kuchiki Byakuya would not resist seeing him to confirm it.

And he was sure that Aizen would be making an appearance as well. It was all coming into place one by one.

"Stay safe, midget." He murmured to no one in particular as he looked outside the window.

…

…

…

"What did he do to you?"

Rukia almost flinched at the coldness of her brother's tone. "I was brought to the 14th division with Inoue –

"You are not answering my question, Rukia. What did he do to you?" he faced his sister with a stare that was positively glacial. "Did he force himself on you?"

The implications of the question struck Rukia just then. Vehemently, she shook her head. "Nii-sama… no… it wasn't like that… I mean…"

Despite the fact that Byakuya had an iron-clad control of his emotions, Rukia was sure that he was seething in anger. He looked at her intently, as if he was attempting to bore a hole in her head.

"On your way to the 14th, what happened?" He asked quietly "Tell me the truth, Rukia."

"NOTHING!" Rukia almost burst out in nervousness. "I swear, nii-sama… he didn't touch me…not really…" she said haltingly, unable to explain the situation in a detached manner after seeing the slightest trace of anger in her brother. Well, it wasn't really obvious, but his eyes were narrowed a couple of centimeters more… Really, her mind cried out almost hysterically, **this** what was what she was afraid of. Now was the right time to hope that Ishida left, because if her brother found him within his division…

"What do you mean by Not Really?"

Rukia clenched her hands on her lap, in an attempt to stop herself from gesturing wildly with her hands or wringing them, and risk irritating her brother even more. Summoning all of the Kuchiki training she received, Rukia was able to say something without sounding like a cowering dog. "Nothing! It didn't mean anything nii-sama. He just covered me with his blanket – it was awfully cold you know."

He wasn't a taicho for anything; and Byakuya's sharp mind picked up some signals that were definitely being pushed into a hole by Rukia. "You shared his bed." He said, in a tone that implied he knew what she was hiding and it wouldn't do her any good if she kept it up.

"Nothing happened that night, nii-sama, I swear."

Byakuya looked like he wanted to say something but he held his peace. He stared at his sister instead. "Who married the two of you?" he asks instead.

Grateful for the change in topic, Rukia was able to compose herself before she answered. "Ishida Ryuuken, a Quincy."

"A Quincy. Ishida Ryuuken." Byakuya repeated; his words sounding like he had something dirty in his mouth. Ishida Ryuuken, the Quincy who officiated her marriage to Kurosaki Ichigo. Why was it that his name was so familiar? She had been caught up with the whole 'getting married to a stranger' thing and the worrying that someone might find the contract that she and Ichigo had drawn, that she failed to address the questions regarding Ishida Ryuuken and why it feels like she's heard his name before.

It was only after Byakuya said them out loud that Rukia's mind rang with clarity. Ishida Ryuuken, the Quincy who officiated Byakuya's marriage to Hisana.

Small world isn't it?

"Then it is legal and binding."

Rukia did not even want to reply to that. Trust her brother to come up with that on his own – it was fairly easy anyway. Obviously, no one can contest to the legality of her and Ichigo's union. What would nii-sama plan now?

"An annulment." He says out of the blue, causing Rukia to double check her mental conversation to discern if she had been speaking out loud. "An annulment is possible. Has the marriage been consummated?"

"Nii-sama…"

Think, Rukia urged herself, think! To tell the truth means to have the marriage annulled, but that would also mean betraying the agreement she and Ichigo drew together. If she breached the contract (and her Kuchiki name was signed over the papers legibly), she would only be bringing in a load of humiliation not only for her family, but the Kurosaki's as well.

Naturally, it would be Ichigo who will be the laughing stock of Soul Society, if they found out he was unable to consummate his marriage. However, his pride and male ego was the last thing in Rukia's mind as of the moment. All she was thinking about was his family. Isshin-dono, Karin, and Yuzu would be in trouble not only with the Central 46, but also with her brother and Aizen as they would be seen as having a part to what Ichigo had done.

"Because I told your father that I would do anything to return the favor and protect the life of his children. I was unable to help you the night your parents were murdered, Rukia. So please, let me help you now. Let my son protect you from Aizen."

Isshin's words rang on in her head. Taking a deep breath, Rukia looked up to meet her brother's eyes. "It was consummated, Nii-sama."

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's corner:**

So, how was it?

There is no sure way of knowing if Byakuya is protective of Rukia, only Kubo knows. However, for my own purposes (I don't own Bleach, I make no profit out of it. I won't accept money for this, only e-cookies and other e-stuff), lets say that he is a bit protective of her. Lets also pretend that for Hisana's sake, he accepted her as a sister together with the rest of the Kuchiki clan. So, it's only natural for such a brother to worry if his sister has been debauched (I love that word, it screams regency and bodice-ripping historical novels…). Plus, we all know that Byakuya was not really that ice-block man since his birth, right? Its canon, ask Kubo.

I like Hitsugaya. He's a very serious young man who takes his responsibilities very seriously. He may feel a bit of kinship with Ichigo, but that does not mean he'd allow the other to go unpunished. Awww. Unfortunately, I'm not very familiar with his characterization (or the term is I'm not used to write him), so I don't know if he's in character or not. I apologize if I ruffled any Hitsugaya fan's feathers. It was not intentional.

On a side note, as of now, I really won't be hinting other pairings other than IchiRuki and IshiHime. To think of another pairing will make my head hurt. So please have mercy on my brain… I need it.

Unless I say that I'm hinting a certain pairing that I like, let's play it safe and assume that I'm not hinting anything. So… if Aizen gets a sly grin and a very telling body-brush from Gin (who knows, it MIGHT happen), it does not mean I'm branching to Yaoi. It only means that the hallway is so cramped, people risk impregnating another person accidentally… or something like that.

Arigato!


	9. Chapter 9

Heart's Desire Chapter 9

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! I don't even profit from this fanfict!

Warning: As this is an AU story, many of the situations are changed to fit my idea. I'll try to make the characters as in character as I possibly can do. All of the captains are here (that means Aizen, Gin, and Tousen) but I added a division (thus Gotei 14 instead of 13). The setting is in Seiretei and no one is living in Karakura. The timeframe is somewhat feudal, so no technology stuff except for what the 12th division uses.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_An annulment." He says out of the blue, causing Rukia to double check her mental conversation to discern if she had been speaking out loud. "An annulment is possible. Has the marriage been consummated?"_

"_Nii-sama…" _

_Think, Rukia urged herself, think! To tell the truth means to have the marriage annulled, but that would also mean betraying the agreement she and Ichigo drew together. If she breached the contract (and her Kuchiki name was signed over the papers legibly), she would only be bringing in a load of humiliation not only for her family, but the Kurosaki's as well._

_Naturally, it would be Ichigo who will be the laughing stock of Soul Society if they found out he was unable to consummate his marriage. However, his pride and male ego was the last thing in Rukia's mind as of the moment. All she was thinking about was his family. Isshin-dono, Karin, and Yuzu would be in trouble not only with the Central 46, but also with her brother and Aizen as they would be seen as having a part to what Ichigo had done._

"**Because I told your father that I would do anything to return the favor and protect the life of his children. I was unable to help you the night your parents were murdered, Rukia. So please, let me help you now. Let my son protect you from Aizen."**

_Isshin's words rang on in her head. Taking a deep breath, Rukia looked up to meet her brother's eyes. "It was consummated, Nii-sama."_

…

…

…

For the first time in a hundred years, Kuchiki Byakuya was left wondering about his failures and shortcomings. It didn't do well to wallow in what could have been, that was a lesson ingrained in Byakuya ever since he could remember. As a Kuchiki head and a taicho, he understood that the lives of many were in hands. A small misstep could cause someone's life, yet that one life was not worth mulling over when there were a hundred more that were depending on his guidance.

The day Hisana died, Byakuya had once been tempted to wonder what his life might have been had he not met her. Perhaps he would have been spared from an indescribable pain and even more of it in the years to come. Fortunately, he realized that he would have never traded anything, not even a lifetime of loneliness and hurt just for those five years he spent with his wife.

Now, he was walking a hole in his carpet as he thought back on the conversation he had with Rukia.

Kurosaki Ichigo was definitely irritating him. Byakuya frowned. Irritating? He was now feeling anger boil up from within him. Contrary to what everyone thought, Kuchiki Byakuya was not by any means a cold, unfeeling man. The reality was, he was a passionate and ill-tempered individual.

During his youth, Byakuya was prone to anger at the slightest provocation. Yoruichi once laughed at his exuberance and was often annoyed with his gung-ho attitude. She often warned him that acting rashly made his judgment clouded, making him an easy person to beat. After being defeated by the said Yoruichi in the most humiliating way possible (it was an incident involving a pond, a cat, and flashing a dozen of people who were in the Kuchiki compound), Byakuya made it his life's goal to bury his emotions safely so that no one would be able to gain access to his thoughts and feelings. True, it was hard to stop himself from laughing out senseless when he made a ranked shinigami piss in his hakama; or be the only man without a nosebleed when the newly-promoted Matsumoto Rangiku accidentally spilled out of her shinigami robes during her fukutaicho induction ceremony, but Byakuya achieved the impossible and became Seiretei's resident marble-statue taicho.

And then came Kurosaki Ichigo to destroy the carefully cultivated walls of ennui he built for himself. All it took was for him to claim Hisana's – no, **his** sister for his own.

He was sure Hisana would be turning in her grave if she knew just how Rukia ended up getting married. Byakuya's eyes narrowed very slightly in annoyance as he sat back on his chair. He had promised his wife that he would take care and protect Rukia, that he would give her the best in Seiretei, and that he would ensure that her future was secure. And he failed her.

Not only did she get married in a hurry, it was even a necessity! Remembering how Rukia said it, he took note that her face was flushed like she had a fever. Neither could she meet him in the eye. Putting two and two together meant four. Byakuya had a suspicion on what the 'necessity' might have been.

If it wasn't improper conduct to murder a taicho, Kurosaki Ichigo would have been a dead man.

Rukia was betrothed to Aizen. If Seiretei ever gets a wind of this development, Rukia's character was going to be flayed by the 'well-meaning' nobles and the sympathizers of the 5th division's taicho. While his sister was the unspoken princess not only of the Kuchiki clan, but also of Seiretei's polite society, Byakuya knew that the adoration could easily turn into detest. Noble matrons always had the sharpest claws; no doubt Rukia would be cut to the quick.

A knock on his door roused him from his musings. "Kuchiki-sama."

"Enter." He said curtly.

The servant bowed from the open door "Kuchiki-sama, Aizen taicho has just arrived. Shall I send him in?"

There was no time than the present anyway. "Send him in."

There was the sound of footsteps fading away; then when Byakuya looked up, he saw the 5th division taicho looking at him from outside his door. "Kuchiki Taicho."

Standing up, Byakuya motioned for him to enter "Aizen Taicho. Please, come in."

Despite the fact that not a hair was out of place and that Aizen Sousuke looked calm and collected, Byakuya was sure that he just got back from Hueco Mundo. Aizen was just like that kind of person, one who did not put off things that he could do at the present. He sat in the offered chair and was silent as a servant brought in a tray of tea and other light snacks.

As soon as they were alone, Aizen spoke directly "Is Rukia alright? Can I see her Kuchiki taicho?"

The taicho of the 5th division, Aizen had the reputation of being the most even-tempered and understanding superior officers in the whole of the Gotei 14 squads. Aizen carried with him an air of cool serenity and friendliness second only to Unohana Retsu, taicho of the 4th squad. A smart and resourceful man, Aizen was often entrusted with the task of shinigami propaganda – the recruitment of the students at the Shinigami academy. More often than not, many opted to start at his division before they would be transferred or promoted elsewhere.

Many a shinigami believed that to be under the division and tutelage of Aizen Sousuke was a good career path for anyone, especially for those who were good with kidō. It was because of this that Byakuya was convinced of the merits of letting the said taicho mentor his sister, and it was met with favorable results.

"I'm afraid Rukia isn't here as of the moment." Byakuya said before he took a sip of his tea.

Aizen blinked several times "Is she in the 4th division? Was she hurt, Kuchiki taicho? Or did she return to the 13th? Has she heard about what happened to Ukitake taicho?"

At the mention of Rukia's superior officer, Byakuya looked up from his tea. "Did anything happen to Ukitake taicho?"

Frowning a bit, Aizen folded his hands in front of him on the desk. "It's a bit bad… his men got attacked by a weird hollow – or arrancar, if heresy could be believed – and he tried to help. Unfortunately he was at his limit and he really got it bad in the battle." Aizen sighed as he shook his head "If it wasn't for Unohana taicho there, I'm not sure what would have happened. That's why I was a bit late today. I had to check on his condition first so I can tell Rukia about it later."

"Rukia is also not at the 13th." Byakuya said, feeling a bit miffed that he would be unable to say this in any other way to soften the blow. "She's at the 14th."

"What? You haven't recovered her yet?"

It might as well be a time for firsts as Byakuya was almost surprised to hear worry with underlying impatience lace the words of Aizen. "Rukia was returned the moment Kurosaki Ichigo was brought to the 10th division holding cell. She just went out to the 14th with Inoue."

"In as much as I know this sounds impolite, I think that you allowing her is… unwise." Aizen said quietly, as he took another sip of his tea. "I mean no offense, Kuchiki taicho."

Byakuya likewise took a sip, relishing in the scalding temperature of the tea on his tongue. Of course he knew it was not a wise decision. If he had a say in the matter, he would have ordered Rukia not to leave her room until this mess was sort out. "None taken Aizen taicho." He said instead. "However, I cannot do anything to stop Rukia should she want to visit the 14th division with the intent of being there for the night. She is capable of making decisions on her own."

"Yes I am aware of that." Aizen said with a barely audible sigh. "But Kuchiki taicho," he said as he fixed the other man with a serious look "As her brother and the head of the clan, you have authority to overrule her decisions if you see it fit."

"Not anymore." Byakuya said, tensing with the knowledge that it was about time to be the bearer of bad tidings. It was a pity really, he admired Aizen taicho and he would have been pleased to have him as a brother in-law. "I cannot make decisions for Rukia anymore. Not after she got married to Kurosaki taicho."

Aizen remained motionless. Byakuya wondered if he went into shock or if he was trying his hardest to compose himself. No one has ever seen the taicho of the 5th act inappropriately or show anger. Even when he was fighting hollows, Aizen always had this way of being calm and rational, making him an ideal squad leader and superior officer. Though he may show grief, concern, disappointment, and sometimes a trace of melancholy; fury was something not associated with him.

However, as he watched the man clench his fists, making his knuckles look bloodless, Byakuya became all too aware that Aizen was not made of stone. Though he was confident that Aizen could definitely calm himself, the noble knew that his rage would be something that will possibly shock Seiretei into its foundations if unleashed. "More tea, Aizen taicho?" he asks politely, attempting to make contact. After all, it would do him no good if Aizen had an outburst here of all places.

Aizen looks at him from beneath his glasses. For a moment, Byakuya was able to see seething hatred lurk behind the 5th taicho's brown eyes. On the normally kind Aizen it seems out of the ordinary, but the glint disappeared completely in a heartbeat as the eyes closed briefly. When the lids flew open, Aizen was now carrying a dejected expression on his face. "I was hoping that was an ill-conceived joke, until I realized you were never one for such, Kuchiki taicho – especially vicious ones like this."

"I apologize, Aizen taicho. For whatever inconvenience my sister has caused you. She has acted improperly by betraying your engagement."

"I suppose there's a story behind this?"

Byakuya took a sip of his tea to compose his thoughts on a diplomatic way of phrasing the truth. "It was the wisest course of action at the time."

Grimacing, Aizen's had reached out to grab his zanpaktuô's hilt, but then he let his hand fall back on the table. "I often wondered why Kurosaki taicho has always been particularly uncivil towards me." He said, thinking along the lines of his host. "I thought that could have just been a trivial matter; I did not expect him to go through this length to get to me." Facing the other taicho, Aizen fixed him a look that spoke volumes "I will do all that I can to dissolve the marriage. I'm sure Rukia can help me by providing insights –

"There is no way out of it and you know it." Byakuya told him evenly, his face impassive as he interrupted the other's musings. "The moment you reached for your zanpaktuô, you already knew. Kurosaki plans to keep it that way and he even had a Quincy officiate it."

"Was she forced?"

Byakuya's eyes narrowed "Rukia is not saying anything. All I have is an account of her travel from here to the 14th. Anything beyond that is out of my knowledge."

Silence once again settled between the two men. Then, after a moment, Aizen stood up wearily. "If you will excuse me, I must be going." He said in a forlorn tone, looking as uncomfortable as any jilted man would. "I must check on the other shinigami left in my division, I can only assume that they are in a state of confusion considering Hinamori-kun looked like she got the shock of her life." As the other man stood up to show him out, Aizen held up a hand to stop him. "Please. I will be fine… I need… some time to think about this."

As Aizen Sousuke trudged out of his study, Byakuya could only imagine the events that were to come.

…

…

…

The next day came with a vengeance in a bright vision of light that covered almost every surface on Seiretei unmercifully. In his cell, Ichigo grunted softly as he sat up to try to look outside the window again. Honestly, couldn't Toushiro have given him a cell with larger windows?

"Kurosaki Taicho!" the boisterous voice of Matsumoto Rangiku floated as she rounded up from the corner.

"What is it now, Matsumoto?"

Matsumoto laughed, dragging with her a chair "I thought you might like some company to talk to, of course!"

Ichigo snorted "What so you can get the dirt on my marriage?" he said snidely, knowing all-too-well how the fukutaicho of the 10th would act. Ishida already informed him that a couple of their shinigamis had been in brawls since the rumors regarding his honor and that of the Kuchiki princess came out earlier. There were only a few people who knew about it. Matsumoto was included in that short list.

Honestly, Toushiro should have just kept her drunk. An inebriated Matsumoto, contrary to public belief, was a very good secret keeper. What gossip during her lucid moments made her careless about secrets, no one has ever – to date – forced her to reveal things kept in strictest confidence when plied with alcohol. With Matsumoto's open love affair with sake, this information was guarded by a handful of people zealously.

Quickly, Matsumoto sat in front of Ichigo. "So, care to spill the beans?"

"On what?"

"Oh come on, taicho!" scoffed the woman "Everyone is so curious to know about your love story with Kuchiki …err… Kurosaki Rukia!" she said the last part with a squeal. "I mean; you weren't exactly a suitor of hers. In fact, no one actually knew if you liked her in any way since you don't move in the same social circle at all. So imagine everyone's surprise to hear that you two got married!"

Ichigo just gave her an annoyed look "Right. Imagine that."

"So?" she prodded, "What was it that made you decide to marry Kuchiki Rukia? Considering the fact that she's engaged to Aizen taicho, everything seems so… rushed."

Knowing that she and the rest of soul society wouldn't believe him if he said that it was because of Aizen Taicho himself, Ichigo wisely kept his mouth shut.

Matsumoto looked at him slyly "Are we supposed to expect a little Kurosaki sometime soon then?"

Ichigo fought the urge to blush "Shut it." He gritted out. If his honeymoon was any indication of his life with Rukia, it was a highly unlikely possibility. Aside of course, from the fact that he was, currently in jail.

"You know," Matsumoto said pensively, all traces of humor gone "You left a lot of women broken-hearted, Taicho. The fact that your wife was previously engaged to another taicho makes people want to think it might be a love match. Otherwise, things won't look good for the two of you – if you know what I mean."

"You 'aint getting anything from me, Matsumoto." Ichigo said dryly "You'll have to filter through the rumors yourself."

Matsumoto gaped at the taicho before pouting. Well, she knew he really wouldn't comment on the issue. Now what would she report to the Shinigami Women's Association meeting? She could try to find Rukia, but as of the moment she wasn't at the 6th or 13th division. Unless she made a dash for it to Hueco Mundo, the only place she could be was at the 14th. Unfortunately, no one with official business with the 14th was allowed in today.

"Matsumoto." Hitsugaya's voice came from behind her "Please leave the holding cells with Hinamori fukutaicho."

Immediately, Matsumoto whirled around to face her Taicho.

"Hinamori is outside." Hitsugaya said in dismissal. His taicho nodded and complied. As soon as Matsumoto was out of hearing range, the taicho of the 10th division looked at Ichigo. "He's here to see you."

By that, he meant Aizen, and Ichigo knew it.

Without another word, Hitsugaya walked out, leaving Ichigo to wait for Aizen's arrival.

…

…

…

In all the centuries he was alive, the only time the whole division was like this was when Masaki died. With this thought, Isshin finished his breakfast wearily, wondering just where his daughters and Rukia were.

He had been surprised, but not displeased to see Rukia and Inoue standing outside his son's division a few hours after the news of Ichigo's arrest arrived. The usually confident and headstrong noblewoman looked like she was completely confused and discomfited with the idea of stepping inside the walls of the 14th division.

Considering the rumors that were quickly spreading around Seiretei, Isshin would understand just why she was hesitant to see them. Apparently, Rukia thought that she was to blame for the mess his son was in.

Isshin wonders what in hell gave her the idea that she was the cause of Ichigo's predicament? Besides, the Kurosaki home was always open to her, seeing as she was now one of them.

It was Ishida who convinced Rukia to step inside. Tatsuki was the first to ask the two if they had eaten dinner already, while Keigo and Mizuiro took turns to greet them enthusiastically as Sado took the small bags they carried.

Rukia was Ichigo's wife; his men would rather eat their livers first than cause her grief.

Though he wanted to welcome the shinigami noble that was his daughter-in-law with open arms, he was beaten to it as Kon hurled himself to Rukia's bosom, sobbing as hard as any stuffed plushie could. The small smile that Rukia allowed herself to show was reward enough for Isshin.

Everything went by in a flash, as Yuzu flew out of the house in speeds that were impressive as she too clung to her sister-in-law's arms as she cried.

Karin said nothing as she opened the door wide for Rukia, but Isshin could see the unmistakable relaxing of her tensed shoulders, as if a great load was taken away from her.

After finishing his breakfast, Isshin decided to go look for his three daughters. He was sure not one of them ate yet and it just wouldn't do. Now that Ichigo wasn't here, he supposed he had the right to spoil them rotten once again. Sighing, Isshin made his way out of the dining table to make inquiries as to their whereabouts.

A little while later, Isshin found them huddled together under an apple tree in the gardens. Pasting a jovial smile, he started to skip towards them until he was near enough to see their faces. And Isshin stopped in his tracks.

Rukia sat against the tree as his daughters leaned against her for comfort. His ever practical and stoic Karin had her head against Rukia's shoulders while Yuzu had hers on top of Rukia's lap. Both were fast asleep, with Yuzu clutching Kon by the arm tightly. Surprisingly, the plushie was not making a fuss.

Slowly, he made his way towards the group. "Rukia-chan." he whispered to the surprised woman "Would you like me to take them off you so you can rest?" It was quite obvious that she kept them company, having as little sleep and food as his two girls. Isshin knew that if this kept up, all three would probably get sick – and this was not a good thing for Isshin. His son might just have his hide for it. Besides, he didn't want anything happening to his girls too. Rukia included.

Rukia shook her head as carefully as she could, so as not to wake Karin.

"He'll be fine." Isshin assured her "He's gone through a lot, and even if he came home banged up, he would find his way on his feet again. You know, there was this one time where he fought this menos – actually there were three of them and he got home sporting torn ligaments in the legs; three cracked ribs; one fractured forearm; and a concussion. Boy, Ishida and Sado were holding him up, it seems the menos did a bloody number on him." Isshin recounted in a low but excited voice, seemingly unaware of the nauseated look on Rukia's face. "I knew he'd be fine! He's my boy, and not even losing almost two liters of blood could kill him! Hah, he was being a pain all right, screaming bloody murder to anyone who tried to get near him. Unohana had to keep him restrained so she could set back his broken bones…"

"Isshin-dono…" She said cautiously, surprisingly feeling a bit queasy at his description.

"Rukia-chan!" sobbed Isshin "Why do you not call me father? Dad? Papa? You're Ichigo's wife now, that means you're my daughter!"

"Daughter-in-law…" Rukia protested weakly.

Isshin waved his arms around excitedly "Well, Ichigo won't stay that long in the slammer, you know. I'll have to make a petition. I mean, how will I get grandkids if he's locked up? Unless…" he trailed, looking at his daughter-in-law with a decidedly very naughty smile.

Rukia blushed a deep shade of red.

Sitting beside her, Isshin gently lifted Yuzu and settled her across his legs. "Don't worry about Ichigo, Rukia-chan." He said gently. "I promise you, he'll be okay. He's tougher than you think." Isshin flashed another a big grin. "It's you who I should worry about. This won't be easy on you. The Kuchiki clan may even disown you for this. But don't worry, family take care of each other, don't they?"

Wordlessly, all Rukia could do was nod. Family. Yes, that had a nice ring to it.

…

…

…

Hatred. Fury. Absolute loathing.

He wonders how he did it; how he was able to rein in the urge to run his zanpaktuô through him everytime they met for Taicho meetings. It was actually short of a miracle that he was able to contain his hands – itching to kill – from committing murder in front of all the taichos in broad daylight.

Now it has come to this. Finally, it has come to this.

…

…

…

There was no warning, no footsteps that signified Aizen's arrival.

It was as Ichigo expected it to be.

"Kurosaki Taicho." Aizen's baritone echoed softly across the cell block's corridors. "I trust your stay has been to your liking?"

"Aizen. Always for trivial pleasantries, aren't you?" Ichigo said, his voice surprisingly calm and composed. "What brings you here?"

Aizen stood quietly as he contemplated the other man. The second youngest Taicho in the whole history of Seiretei. The shinigami who broke barriers with his quick ascent into power, in speedy progress that was almost unbelievable. Kurosaki Isshin's son, Kurosaki Ichigo; the man who had the physical strength to rival the strongest man in the whole Gotei 14, the 10th Kenpachi. Whose agility in hand combat was worth of any seat in the 2nd division; had shunpo speeds that were almost inhuman; with mastery of bankai was as surprising as that of the resident prodigy; Hitsugaya Toushiro; and whose popularity was at par with Kuchiki Byakuya and Ukitakue Jyuushiro.

Yes, Kurosaki Ichigo. Seiretei's poster taicho of valor and strength. His hands clenched unconsciously at the thought. "It has come to my attention," he started "that you captured my fiancé –

"Wife. She's my wife now, Aizen, never forget that."

"She was not yours to being with."

Ichigo chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice. "I suppose you're to say that she belongs to you? Rukia belongs to no one, Aizen, only to herself."

Aizen's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "I suppose her decision was free of any outward provocation or blackmail?"

"And your point is."

Stepping forward to look closer at the man he was currently talking to, Aizen lowered his voce even more "What did you do to Rukia-san that she had to marry you outright?"

Ichigo gave him a sardonic look "What? You don't believe in love at first sight?"

Sighing in a way an adult does when faced with a particularly naughty child, Aizen looked at Ichigo. "What have I done to you that would make you use a woman like this, Kurosaki Taicho?"

Now all pretenses of amiability were gone from Ichigo's eyes. "Does the name Kurosaki Masaki ring a bell, Aizen?"

"Kurosaki Isshin's wife; your mother isn't it?" Aizen asked. "I've heard about her often."

"For a moment there I thought you'd forget about the people you murder, Aizen."

Aizen said nothing for a while, then his eyes widened in realization of his underlying accusation before he frowned in confusion. "Murder? Your mother? Kurosaki Taicho… I'm afraid there must have been some mistake…"

"Is there really?"

Shaking his head, Aizen said "I have heard of the incident, but at that time I was at the 5th division doing evaluations for my subordinates –

"You lie!"

"Hinamori-kun will vouch for me, Kurosaki Taicho –

"You jackass! You were there, and you murdered my mother!" Ichigo shouted, standing up and rushing in an attempt to grab the other man by the neck. All that his hands caught were the edges of Aizen's haori.

"Kurosaki Taicho, please calm down!"

Suddenly, Hitsugaya sped by in flash steps, grabbing Ichigo's arm by his right hand and prying Aizen's clothing from his grip with the other. "Kurosaki!" he hissed "Let go of Aizen this instant!"

"Bastard!" shouted Ichigo, oblivious to the struggle "You killed my mother!" he shouted "You can lie to anyone, to every one, but not to me!" His face contorted into a scowl full of rage, Ichigo continued to pull at Aizen's clothing "Let go, Hitsugaya, let me go! This man is a murderer!"

"Compose yourself Kurosaki!" snapped Hitsugaya as he struggled to gain purchase with one hand so he could try and get his sword to cut the cloth. "Aizen taicho!"

But Aizen was not even resisting. "Kurosaki Taicho, I'm afraid you're mistaken," he said quietly, "there is no way that I could be in two places at one time…"

"Did you think that I forgot you have a zanpaktuō that creates illusions Aizen?" snarled Ichigo. "Why did you have to kill my mother? What was important about the hou –

Suddenly, there was a flash of red from Aizen's hand and the fabric was disintegrated, enabling him to be free of Ichigo's death-grip. With a force, the 5th division taicho stumbled backwards, catching his balance on time. His hands smoothed out the creases and singe on his haori.

Hitsugaya let go of Ichigo's arm. "Go back to your cot, Kurosaki." He said severely to the still fuming Ichigo.

"Bastard." Snarled Ichigo, hands gripping the bars so tight, they were almost bloodless.

Calmly, Aizen looked at the smaller taicho "Clearly you were right in saying this was a bad idea." He shook his head "Well then. I should leave."

As Aizen walked out of the cell block, Hitsugaya sent Ichigo one last look of warning before he followed the other man outside.

…

…

…

"Aizen!" Hitsugaya called out. "Aizen!"

At that, Aizen stopped and turned to face the taicho of the 10th division. "Hitsugaya Taicho." He said somberly, "I am sorry for having caused a scene earlier. I did not think that Kurosaki Taicho would act like that."

Curious, Hitsugaya looked up at the other taicho carefully "Aizen Taicho, are you… alright?"

"Yes, Hitsugaya Taicho. Thank you for asking."

The other made a move to leave, but Hitsugaya continued to trail him. "What happened in there, Aizen?" he asked, not liking the rabid anger that rose in Kurosaki. Aside from that, Aizen's uncharacteristic use of kidô, as if he truly wanted to get away from the other man as soon as possible, was most curious. "What was he talking about?"

"I have no idea." Aizen said, "He seems to be in a delusion that I killed his mother."

Hitsugaya wanted so badly to ask what it was that Kurosaki tried to say before Aizen severed his haori, but by the looks of it Aizen was unnerved enough as it is. "You think he's delusional?" he asked instead. "I know Kurosaki to be quite unpredictable and unconventional in his dealings with other people, but delusional?"

For a moment, Aizen said nothing as he walked ahead along the 10th division's corridors. Then he stopped in his tracks and turned to face the other taicho. "No… I'm sorry. I don't think he's delusional. He acted with far too much planning to be delusional."

"Excuse me?"

Wearily, Aizen motioned Hitsugaya to walk on ahead, a signal that the conversation was private and must be place in the strictest confidence.

Catching his unspoken signal, Hitsugaya led the way to his office, where he was sure they would not be disturbed by random shinigami. Matsumoto was currently keeping Hinamori fukutaicho company, so the chances of her 'eavesdropping' was likewise very rare.

Once they were in Hitsugaya's office, he offered the older taicho a seat.

"Hitsugaya Taicho… I wonder if this was planned by Kurosaki Ichigo all along." He said quietly. "I don't want to assume the worst… but…" he said hesitantly "Thinking about the events make me think that Kurosaki Ichigo has a different agenda, one that I am not sure of…"

"What do you mean?"

Aizen looked uncomfortable as he composed his thoughts. "We all know that Kurosaki Taicho has always been supportive of a pre-emptive strike to Hueco Mundo."

"Because he had an encounter with an Arrancar and that the living world, especially Karakura-cho has been riddled with high-level hollows recently."

Looking at the younger taicho, Aizen inclined his head "Yes, but such an event has never happened before. What are the chances of high-level hollows and arrancar being in one small town in only a little over two months? I confess that it seems unnatural."

"You do seem to have a point." Hitsugaya said, after considering the comment carefully "It is unnatural; usually it takes years for that much number of high-level hollows to congregate in a certain area. The timeframe is moved upwards."

"When Seiretei went to war, Kurosaki Taicho's division was ordered to remain here. What surprised me was that he didn't even make a fuss…"

"It seems like a well-organized plot, Aizen Taicho."

"Another thing is that Kurosaki taicho's fifth seat…"

Hitsugaya racked his brains to get a name. "Kojima? Kojima Mizuiro?"

"Yes. He may have had something to do with why the shinigamis of the 6th division have no recollection of the siege. I have heard that he has a kidō-type zanpaktuô that can erase a part of one's memory…"

"But won't that be impossible to use when dealing with more than one person at the same time?"

"Theoretically, yes." Aizen mused "But if you use a certain amplifier similar to the one the kidō cops use… the one created by the 12th divi…"

Suddenly, Aizen shook his head as a thought struck him, "This doesn't seem like something Kurosaki taicho would plan. This one requires him to be patient and lie in wait. The Kurosaki Taicho we know is not like this."

Looking up in surprise from the patterns of his desk's border, Hitsugaya's brow was creased in apparent confusion. "What are you saying then Aizen taicho? That this is not Kurosaki Taicho's doing? That someone is manipulating him?"

"This conspiracy is pointing towards someone more capable of manipulating events to his liking." Aizen said quietly, rubbing his temple as the faint beginnings of a headache made itself known. "There's only one person in Seiretei capable of such well-planned strategies; Urahara Kisuke, former taicho of the 12th division and former head of the Shinigami Technological Research Bureau."

At the name, Hitsugaya sat upright, curious about the said dangerous shinigami. "Who is he?"

Aizen looked at the younger taicho seriously, "Whatever I say is in the strictest confidence, taicho. This topic is forbidden to talk about." As Hitsugaya nodded, he continued, "Urahara Kisuke is considered to be one of Seiretei's most intelligent taichos in its whole history. He spearheaded most of the developments we use today, and he knows the in and outs of whole Soul Society like the back of his hand.

"Urahara once created a dangerous device – one that allows a hollow to have shinigami abilities and a shinigami to gain hollow powers. This was the hougyoku."

Belatedly, Hitsugaya realized that this was the said object Kurosaki had been raving about in his cell earlier.

"Unfortunately, such a creation could destroy Soul Society as we know it, so he was commanded to turn it over to be destroyed. Unfortunately, he was unable to, so Central 46 ordered for the destruction of both the hougyoku and Urahara."

"So he was executed."

"No." Aizen said in a hushed tone; "Urahara disappeared from Soul Society, taking with him the hougyoku. Up to this day no one knows what happened to both. However, the minute either of the two resurfaces, taichos are given the order to destroy them on the spot. This is to prevent cataclysmic events to occur."

Giving the other taicho a look, Aizen added, "Urahara Kisuke happens to be Kurosaki Ichigo's godfather. And if Urahara had anything to do regarding this… it could be a bad thing, because it means that the hougyoku is still here and he is trying to retrieve it."

The idea did not bode well for Hitsugaya. Was soul society under threat? "Do you have a reason to believe that Kurosaki Ichigo is working with Urahara to bring down soul society?" he asked hesitantly, half afraid of the answer.

Sighing, Aizen rubbed his cheeks with his palms, obviously weary about the discussion. "No." he said finally, after a moment of silence that was uncomfortable for both of them. "The Kurosaki Ichigo I know is not like that. I've met him several times before when he was younger;" he said fondly "I have never seen a more kind-hearted boy who went out of his way to help others."

Hitsugaya personally agreed. Kurosaki Ichigo may be a stubborn, disrespectful man; but he himself knew that Kurosaki was committed to the ideology of saving souls and defeating hollows. Hitsugaya was a witness to how he treated subordinates with respect; how concerned he could be for the weak; and how dedicated he was to protect Seiretei. "He seems very upset about his mother's death."

"Kurosaki Masaki was his world." Aizen said, a hint of fondness heard in his tone as he recalled the then-young Ichigo and his mother. "He strove to please her all the time. He was hardly the same after her death."

"So Urahara is using these feelings of his to gain access to the hougyoku again?"

Aizen gave Hitsugaya a pensive look. "I believe that Kurosaki Ichigo had been under Urahara's control for a long time because he had somehow lost his touch with reality."

…

…

…

Ishida was looking at her progress with interest and irritation. Really, Kurosaki's wife was a very difficult woman to protect. She had this annoying habit of leaving without informing others about it. He tried finding her earlier, but no one in the house has seen her. Of course she was free to come and go as she pleased, but Ishida had this feeling that she was about to do something uncharacteristically stupid.

Kurosaki was definitely to blame.

"I would like to ask where you are headed, Kurosaki-san."

Rukia just stared at him blankly for a minute, before she broke into a cheery grin "To visit my division of course, Ishida-san."

"Allow me to accompany you."

"Oh no! That would be too much of a bother, I am perfectly capable of traveling on my own!" she insisted, fake giddiness lacing her voice. "You should stay here, Ishida-san, as Ichigo's fukutaicho, you have to watch out for the division."

"I was ordered to watch you until Kurosaki gets back."

Rukia smiled gaily, "Oh please! You don't need to do that, right?" she asked, taking a step –

"My Hirenkyaku can easily outstrip your shunpo. So don't think about it, Kurosaki-san." He warned. "And yes, I have an idea where you really are going, so I can definitely get there before you."

Rukia gave Ishida a level stare. "All I want is to talk to Aizen taicho."

"What would that entail? Kurosaki had specific orders, you are not to go to the 5th division."

"He is the only one who can –

Ishida shook his head "He won't accept –

"Who cares what Ichigo thinks?" Rukia said angrily, her eyes flashing in anger. "Did he think of his family before acting like this? Did he think about how Karin and Yuzu would stay up waiting nervously to hear that their brother can go home? Did he think about Isshin-dono and how worried he is? Did he think of what his friends would say? What about his men, they're worried too! Did he think about you, leaving all the cleaning up of this mess and keeping division 5th's shinigami outside the gates? Did he?"

For the life of him, Ishida had no ready reply. "Kurosaki-san…" He said hesitantly "Don't do this… he knows you're in danger, don't make him worry about you more…"

Rukia shook her head. "Ishida." She said quietly, looking down on the ground "I'm NOT going to beg for Ichigo's freedom. If Aizen Taicho believes I married Ichigo of my own free will, he will drop his charges and the sentence will be lighter. Ichigo can go home earlier." She looked up to glare at the fukutaicho "I will ask – if need be, demand that Aizen taicho to drop all charges. I don't care what it takes or what I have to lie about."

"Kurosaki-san…"

"I will tell Aizen taicho that I was the one who forced Ichigo to marry me. That I made a ruse that caused him to come after me at my brother's division. Then nii-sama will hear the exact same thing from me, I hope that it will be enough to make him drop his charges against him as well – maybe all of it." She mumbled, nervous at the prospect of making the Kuchiki family look like fools in Seiretei. "Ichigo is needed here, he must be here with his family."

"With all of us, you mean." Ishida said, making Rukia look at him in surprise. The fukutaicho turned the other way; not wanting the other to come to the conclusion that he gave the acknowledgment everyone had been waiting to hear for half a century.

Ishida cleared his throat uncomfortably, "What will you do if Aizen does not listen? You're already in his division, he could easily prevent you from going out."

"He won't do that." Rukia assured him.

"What if he does?" He insisted, hoping one last time to dissuade the shinigami noble who was slowly earning his respect.

Rukia sighed, looking wryly at Ishida's back. "Well, if you ask me… that's where YOU'RE coming in."

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Thank god for Kubo's flashback filler chapters in the manga; otherwise, there'd be no way Byakuya would be IC here. On a note, Kubo-sensei, I wanna see a Bya-tantrum. I have this gut feeling he hates Ichigo because he lost his license to bitch around and this former _ryoka_ just reminds him of it.

Ha, now Aizen is the one gearing the wheels. Poor Hitsugaya, caught in the middle. You gotta respect the kid – err, taicho, he's trying to be as objective as possible considering the evidences against Ichigo seems to be piling up. I think he was accepting the 'loony' theory as it somehow makes Ichigo innocent of his severe crime – somewhat.

Sorry if I took this long to explain the details behind Rukia's capture. I wanted the story to have its own pace first before I unravel it. If there are any questions to the story behind Rukia's capture, please be patient. You can ask of course, but I can't answer all as it may affect the next chapters… I so do not want to give spoilers.

Again, I believe that Isshin is capable of being serious. It could be OoC, but Kubo himself showed that it was possible, right?

Gyah. The last part was sappy, wasn't it? I do hope Ishida and Rukia weren't too OoC or anything.

Once again, please do review.

Oh, before I forget, happy birthday to one of my favorite beta-people ever. My good friend, **recklesflight**.


	10. Chapter 10

Heart's Desire Chapter 10

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know.

I remember saying I'll try to avoid using flashbacks a couple of chapters before; but its needed here so… well, here's a flashback chapter. For those curious about the AiRuki element of this story, here's something for you to ponder on. Remember that this in an AU story, so most of my ideas on how Gotei 14 protocol and interdivision relations work are purely SPECULATION and IMAGINATION.

Another warning: This chapter MIGHT confuse the stuffing out of you. Read it once, read it twice; a new perspective is always the best way to go.

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…

Recap of previous chapter:

_**Rukia shook her head. "Ishida." She said quietly, looking down on the ground "I'm NOT going to beg for Ichigo's freedom. If Aizen Taicho believes I married Ichigo of my own free will, he will drop his charges and the sentence will be lighter. Ichigo can go home earlier." She looked up to glare at the fukutaicho "I will ask – if need be, demand Aizen taicho to drop all charges. I don't care what it takes or what I have to lie about."**_

"_**Rukia-san…"**_

"_**I will tell Aizen taicho that I was the one who forced Ichigo to marry me. That I made a ruse that caused him to come after me at my brother's division. Then nii-sama will hear the exact same thing from me, I hope that it will be enough to make him drop his charges against him as well – maybe all of it." She mumbled, nervous at the prospect of making the Kuchiki family look like fools in Seiretei. "Ichigo is needed here, he must be here with his family."**_

"_**With all of us, you mean." Ishida said, making Rukia look at him in surprise. The fukutaicho turned the other way; not wanting the other to come to the conclusion that he gave the acknowledgment everyone had been waiting to hear for half a century. **_

_**Ishida cleared his throat uncomfortably, "What will you do if Aizen does not listen? You're already in his division, he could easily prevent you from going out."**_

"_**He won't do that." Rukia assured him.**_

"_**What if he does?" He insisted, hoping one last time to dissuade the shinigami noble who was slowly earning his respect.**_

**Rukia sighed, looking wryly at Ishida's back. "Well, if you ask me… that's where YOU'RE coming in."**

…

…

…

(Flashback)

_The Kuchiki gardens held a definite appeal for Rukia. Unlike the other places within her brother's manor, this was a calm and relaxing place. This was where she took refuge when she couldn't handle the pressure of being a Kuchiki. For Rukia, the refreshing view of the neatly arranged Zen garden, surrounded by rows and rows of sakura trees was a treat she enjoyed as much as she could_

_Because come tomorrow when she returned to the 13th, she would have to put on the Kuchiki façade once more. Not that it deterred others into interacting with her. On the contrary, it was the said façade that was helping her cope with the ill rumors running behind her back. Her being a weak shinigami was the least of it. Ukitake taicho and his third seats may genuinely care and feel concern for her but she was sure that even they couldn't stop others from thinking that she had something to do with their fukutaicho's disappearance._

_But if the rumor that she whored herself out to the then very married Shiba Kaien in order to learn her zanpaktuô's shikai release went out of the 13th, eyebrows and tongues within the Kuchiki council of elders would wag. And this could potentially make matters difficult for Rukia, especially after she had just recently cut down cold the latest marriage proposal from an affluent family that the Kuchikis did business with._

"_Rukia." _

_Hearing her brother's voice, Rukia felt her spine stiffen in reflex. Damn, even until now, all she could do was cower in his presence. She knew Byakuya nii-sama was not pleased. With as much grace as she could muster, Rukia stood from her sitting position to meet her brother, the head of the Kuchiki clan and taicho of the 6__th__ division – Kuchiki Byakuya. "Good morning Nii-sama." She murmured quietly, bowing respectfully._

_They were not alone. As Rukia stood to her full height (which wasn't much, she thought ruefully), she saw the taicho of the 5__th__ division, Aizen Sousuke. She wondered why it was that he came. Aizen taicho was a guest at a celebration held at the Kuchiki manor last night and she had the privilege of engaging in a small conversation with him. An interesting one, if she may add. Maybe, if she wasn't in the 13__th__, the 5__th__ would have been a good option as well. After all, like her own taicho, Aizen taicho was a kind and gentle man who treated his subordinates fairly and equally, respecting both their abilities and shortcomings as shinigami. He was also one of the few kidō geniuses in Seiretei who wasn't part of the Kidō Corps._

_Rukia remembered meeting him back when she was preparing for her examination to qualify at the Shinigami academy more than ten years ago. For a taicho, he was exceedingly polite and down-to-earth. She had a few questions regarding the academy and he provided her with insightful information that she was hesitant to ask her brother about. Despite his scheduled meeting with her newly-promoted brother, Aizen Sousuke clearly went out of his way to make her feel comfortable before he excused himself to look for Kuchiki Byakuya. _

"_Aizen Taicho, good morning." _

_Smiling gently, Aizen Sousuke regarded Rukia with a friendly look "A pleasant morning too, Kuchiki Rukia."_

"_Rukia." Her brother said "Aizen taicho told me that you have aptitude for kidō; and in regards to this he wishes to take you as an apprentice."_

_Rukia felt confused. "Me? Aptitude in kidō? Aizen taicho's apprentice?" true, her marks at the academy for this particular skill was high, but it was nowhere as impressive as Aizen taicho himself was saying. "But, I'm in the 13__th__ division… shouldn't Ukitake taicho have a say in this first?"_

"_He does." Aizen said, "I talked to him just this morning too. He acknowledges your skill in kidō, and he is quite pleased with it, Kuchiki-san." He smiled politely as he looked down on the smaller shinigami "However, it would be a shame that he can't focus on training you himself, considering that he is busy. After your division's fukutaicho had disappeared, Ukitake taicho himself is spread too thin."_

_Byakuya looked at his sister, "Both Ukitake taicho and Aizen taicho agreed that you need to be trained in kidō formally. I agree; this training is to compensate for the fact that your hand combat and sword skills are still below average."_

_Fighting the urge to flinch, Rukia willed her face to stop burning in embarrassment from hearing her brother call her abilities below average. _

_As if understanding her discomfort, Aizen smiled at her "I think you'll do fine in those aspects too. Free your mind first, and your body will follow. Of course, the lessons will be here in your home. I talked to Ukitake taicho to assure him that I'm not trying to get a well-loved subordinate of his to my own division." He assured her, laughing softly, obviously unaware of just how 'well-loved' Rukia was to the shinigami of her division. "I'm also training Hinamori-kun to be more assertive as a fukutaicho. I see this as an opportunity for both of you. If I am not in our division, nor in the Gotei 14 offices at the court of pure souls, she will get more opportunities to exercise her command over the men."_

_Rukia could not help but feel the slightest twinge of envy hit her. Hinamori Momo, fukutaicho of the 5__th__ division was given responsibilities. As one of Gotei 14's kidō masters, she was treated with the respect that was befitting a ranked shinigami. Unlike her, who was treated like a delicate china doll – kept behind a shelf for fear of its apparent fragility._

_Ukitake taicho once said that she was a good, competent shinigami. He encouraged her to train harder and had been pleased with her progress. In fact he was definitely proud of the moment when she learned about the dances of her zanpaktuô. But somehow, no matter how hard she tried; she was still far away from earning the respect of the other members of their division. To them, she was just Kuchiki Rukia, younger sister of the noble Kuchiki Byakuya taicho. Nothing more and certainly a lot less. _

"_I think it would beneficial for you to agree and accept Aizen taicho's offer to be an apprentice. It wouldn't be of any issue if it was vouched by your taicho himself." Byakuya said, breaking Rukia's reverie. _

If Ukitake taicho agreed to it, it meant that she had hope yet. It was the truth that her taicho was spread too thinly in the division and to ask him to train her was too much of her to do. But he was genuinely worried about her that he even gave permission for her to be trained – by another likewise talented taicho!

_If her talent were supposed to be in kidō, then Rukia would take that chance with both hands. Turning to face Aizen, she bowed deeply. "Thank you for your offer, Aizen taicho and I accept it. I look forward to learn a lot from you."_

(End flashback)

…

…

…

"I hope you're sure about this, Kurosaki-san." Ishida muttered as they stopped in front of the 5th division office in the Court of Pure Souls. According to their sources, Aizen did not go to his division in the district earlier in the morning. Rather, the taicho headed straight to Seiretei's center as soon as he finished his visit to Kurosaki. Ishida knew it was better this way, at least not many would hear about this matter. There were enough rumors flying around for them to give them even more to talk about.

"I won't be here if my mind wasn't made up, you know." Retorted Rukia as she psyched herself for her meeting with the man she was originally betrothed to. The same man who taught her almost everything she knew about kidō, and who acted as a friend and mentor to her. Despite her resolve, she knew that lying blatantly to Aizen would be difficult for her, considering he knew her too well. "And call me Rukia. Ishida-san." She said wryly "The name Kurosaki-san I associate with Ichigo or his father more."

"Certainly not!" Ishida said looking surprised "You're a noble. Shall I call you Rukia-sama then?"

"Drop the _sama_ and you got yourself a deal."

"You're still Kurosaki's wife." He pointed out "Why would I drop the honorifics?"

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Tell you what, you call me Rukia-san and I won't call you anything embarrassing."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Rukia said airily "Maybe… Orihime's boyfriend or something. How about Orihime's stud?"

Ishida paled before turning completely red in the face. "Again, may I ask: are you sure you want to see Aizen, Rukia-san?"

Of course she wasn't sure. Who in their right mind wouldn't be? She had to steel her resolve many times before she came up with this ridiculous idea. Rukia had to be honest; she was terrified to meet Aizen now that her marriage to Ichigo was common knowledge. During the time she and Ishida walked along the well-memorized hallways of the Court of Pure Souls (she had accompanied both Ukitake taicho and her brother here on many occasions), Rukia had already been debating on whether she ought to call the whole thing off.

Taking a deep breath, she took a step forward.

…

…

…

(Flashback)

_The library was a welcome sanctuary at the Kuchiki manor for Rukia. It was where she could unwind and relax after spending a stressful week at the 13__th__. Besides, the library had all sorts of interesting books that would keep her interested._

"_Hey, Rukia." Abarai Renji, her brother's fukutaicho called her as his head poked out of the door "You better get down there, quick; taicho wants you to go to his study. IMMEDIATELY."_

"_Oh darn." Muttered Rukia as she looked back at the book forlornly. "Just give me a second, please, will you?" she replied before climbing down her perch nimbly. "I haven't done anything wrong this time, did I Renji?"_

_Renji raised a weirdly-shaped brow "Why, have you done anything this time?"_

"_You're starting to copy nii-sama's manner of speech it scares me." Rukia said, faking a shudder. "So, I'll just go on ahead?"_

"_I guess." Shrugged Renji "He was talking to Aizen taicho, but maybe they're done by now."_

_Nodding her thanks, Rukia walked as fast as she could without seeming to look like she was in a hurry. Upon reaching the study, she knocked softly a couple of times before she opened the door "Nii-sama?" she asked. "Oh, my apologies." She said, surprised to find her brother and Aizen taicho in deep conversation._

"_Rukia, come inside." Byakuya said. As his sister complied, the noble looked at Aizen for a moment before motioning the other to take a seat._

_Confused, Rukia sat stiffly on the chair, aware that both men were looking at her. As it was impolite to speak first, she kept her eyes downcast, waiting to be addressed._

"_Rukia. It has come to my conclusion that you have rejected yet another proposal of marriage last week."_

_To say that she was surprised at the turn of events was an understatement._

"_You have rejected more than a hundred proposals already."_

_Rukia prayed that her face would not burn in embarrassment. Why was nii-sama discussing this in front of Aizen taicho? Did it have anything to do with her kidō training or anything? "Nii-sama… I… I have no intention of marrying… as of yet." Dear lord, she hoped her nii-sama would not probe into this further and ask more embarrassing questions._

"_Is there anyone you are considering?"_

_Rukia felt her throat constrict. Why was he asking only now? Ignoring that thought, she shook her head, "I'm afraid there is none… as of the moment." It wasn't like she had already met all of the men in soul society. This whole conversation was absurd, like a scene out of a novel or something. Nervously, she took the tea that was offered to her._

_Her brother looked at her as he contemplated something in his head. "Well then, Aizen taicho has asked for your hand in marriage."_

_It took all of Rukia's self-control to not spew the tea all over them. "Nii-sama?" she asked._

"_Excuse me?"_

_Aizen Sousuke turned to face her "Rukia-san… I asked your brother for your hand in marriage. I would like to ask your opinion regarding this."_

_Her bloody opinion? Rukia thought in panic. Was he asking for a reply… NOW? She stared at her brother, who was looking at her with his usual guarded expression._

"_Perhaps it is best if you convince her first of your suit." Byakuya said as he stood up. "I will have to head back to my division." He told them as he inclined his head to the other man. "Aizen Taicho." He said stoically._

"_Of course, Kuchiki taicho." Aizen said as he too stood up and bowed to the other man respectfully. _

"_Rukia."_

"_Nii-sama."_

_Without another word, Byakuya left the study, his scarf swirling behind him as he went._

"_Rukia-san?" Aizen finally asked, as soon as they were alone, "Did my question make you feel uncomfortable?"_

_Knowing that Aizen taicho would want her to be honest, Rukia gave a small nod. "I confess – it was a shock." She told him as she clenched the fabric of her kimono as she remained seated "I'm sorry, It's just that I wasn't expecting it." She gave him a pensive look while hanging on to her Kuchiki composure. "Though we have known each other for a number of years…"_

"_I agree that it does seem sudden. I am sorry to have made you uncomfortable."_

_For a while no one spoke._

_Aizen cleared his throat. "My intentions are not shallow and dishonorable." He said quietly. "I must say that your keen mind caught my attentions, Rukia-san. Your sense and intelligence is remarkable, as well as your abilities."_

_All-too-used to compliments, Rukia only nodded._

"_Spending time with you was something I enjoyed because you are smart and kind. Your determination to improve yourself is admirable to say the least…"_

_In the back of her mind, Rukia was relieved that this wasn't turning out like a repeat of the past proposals – where her virtues were exaggerated beyond belief as the would-be suitor went on bended knees in praise of her traits._

"_I find myself looking forward to spending time with you and suddenly feeling hesitant to bring our meetings to a close. I am not a noble, nor am I wealthy, but I would care for you, Rukia-san; my respect for you will never waver. I wish that you would do me the honor of being my wife."_

"_Aizen taicho…" she said quietly "You have done me enough honor by being my mentor and friend. But this is something that people will not take lightly. If you look for convenience –_

"_I have lived long enough not to be bothered by trivial gossip." Aizen told her. "I am of course worried about how they would view you. But Seiretei does not really take the boundaries of age, status, and even profession into consideration too seriously; any rumors will cease eventually. As for your notion that this is a proposal for convenience," he said slowly yet earnestly, as if hesitant that his words would only make her recoil "I assure you that convenience is the farthest thing from my mind. I have thought about this matter over and over again, Rukia-san. And this is entirely selfish for me… but even if my intentions would cause them to think of me as taking advantage of you and my friendship with you and your brother, it is a risk I am willing to undertake just for the honor and pleasure of your company throughout the rest of my existence."_

_Rukia did not know what to say. Not when this speech was something novel and unheard of for her. Aizen taicho was a friend, yes, but to marry him was like to marry… Renji. _

"_You need not reply now." Aizen said as he stood up and bowed politely. "I only wish to press my suit – not overwhelm you for an answer. When you find it favorable to reply, I will hear you out." With that, Aizen Sousuke left._

_As soon as the door closed behind him, Rukia's expression turned into one that was deep in thought._

_Now what? Without a doubt, nii-sama favored a marriage between her and Aizen taicho. This was in fact the first time he made her listen to a proposal while he was present. It was either the suitors went to see her brother or her, never the two of them at the same time._

_To be honest, Rukia never expected to be allowed to decide for herself. All Kuchiki marriages were arranged, and everyone in the clan expected her to be engaged to a noble from another prominent clan. What surprised them was that nii-sama allowed her to enroll in the shinigami academy instead. All the while she was studying, she was plagued with the idea that she would be called by the elders one day and told that they had taken the liberty to give her hand to a man whose fortune and prominence would do their clan good. Despite this fear, Rukia had conditioned herself that whatever decision her brother made, she would accept it. If Byakuya ordered her to marry Aizen, she would do so without complaints, whatever her thoughts might be all because she carried the name Kuchiki. _

_Now she was given the choice to decide for herself, and Rukia found it difficult to make up her own mind. It was then that Rukia realized just how much the elders have brainwashed her. To think that she was considered to be headstrong by everyone in Seiretei when she obviously had difficulty deciding for herself when she was needed to!_

_In determination, Rukia wracked her brains in an attempt to find herself again._

…

_The sun had drifted considerably lower by the time Rukia had gone through the proposals she rejected. She finally came to the conclusion that had discarded them all without a moment of thought. True, there were some proposals that were downright disgusting and ridiculous, but Rukia had to admit in hindsight that a lot of those men were impressionable enough for the Kuchiki name. However, she discovered that she always had a ready refute against them, for reasons that was slowly becoming known to her._

_Why was she being so evasive about marriage anyway? Inoue was right, she ought to move on now that… well, it had been for far too long and he wasn't returning just for her. It was wishful thinking to imagine Shiba Kaien returning for her. Not when he was still in love with his deceased wife. It was foolish of her to hope that he'd wake up one day and find himself over the death of Miyako. It was even more foolish to think that she would feel something deeper than what she felt for Kaien for another man._

_The kiss he gave her before was probably a pity-kiss. _

_Yeah, that was it. A sort of consolation prize for Kuchiki Rukia, his friend and subordinate in the 13__th__. His 'I would marry you in a heartbeat if that prissy Byakuya approved' speech was a half-hearted attempt to make her laugh when he told her that he would be leaving Seiretei for good. Kaien really cared for her well-being, this was why she never told Ukitake taicho that his fukutaicho that went AWOL was headed to the living world. She figured that he'd come to that conclusion himself. And when he did, Rukia had no doubts he would keep it a secret too. After all, Kaien was the 13__th__'s fukutaicho, and they all watched each other's backs._

_Well that was that. Rukia thought as she mentally straightened her shoulders. Maybe she should give Aizen taicho the chance to get to know her more. Tomorrow, she vowed, she would be open to any possibility. It was time to prove Inoue wrong._

_Kuchiki Rukia was NOT waiting for Shiba Kaien to fall in love with her, or for a man to sweep her off her feet. These were just for novels, not real-life. Because seriously, the chances of these two actually happening was just as slim as her being abducted to the altar. And Rukia snorted at the thought._

(End flashback)

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…

…

When Aizen Sousuke looked up from his work, Rukia was surprised to see him and how he changed. The usually good-natured and cheerful taicho was brooding, silent, and most definitely hurt. Not for the first time, Rukia heard her mind call her a bitch for causing this much pain to another person – to a friend nevertheless. "Aizen taicho." She said hesitantly "I came to check on you… and to apologize in person."

Slowly, Aizen closed the ledgers he was reviewing. "Rukia." He said, motioning for her to take a seat in front of his desk. "I'm glad to see that you were not hurt. I was worried that I'd find you in the 4th division." As he pushed his work to the side, Aizen stared at her, taking his time to study her appearance.

It was obvious that Rukia had been under a lot of stress. Her luminous face looked pale and somewhat sallow, with her cheeks hollowing ever so slightly. Despite that, she carried herself extremely well as she arrived in her shinigami garb, her posture showing none of the weight she was carrying ever since the rumors circulated in Seiretei.

"You've lost weight, Rukia. Have you been getting enough food and rest?"

"I'm fine, Aizen taicho. Thank you for asking."

Nodding carefully, Aizen stood up to get her some tea. The atmosphere in the office was somewhat tense; that he felt it was only rational to dispel it in some way. "Have some tea, Rukia." He said, placing the drink on the table before he returned to his seat, his hand clutching his own tea.

As Rukia reached out to take her drink, Aizen spied a slim gold band with small diamonds adorning her slender ring finger. It was a very new trend from the living world that only few of the young married couples in Seiretei followed. This band was supposed to symbolize and let the others know that the person was already wedded.

The presence of a wedding band on Rukia's finger meant that she was lawfully the spouse of Kurosaki taicho. And it was an idea that did not sit well with Aizen.

Instead of cowering under his unwavering gaze as what most people would have done, Rukia forced herself to face him and look at him in the eye. "I'm so sorry Aizen taicho. This is entirely my fault. I didn't mean for it to end up like this, I swear."

The taicho of the 5th looked at Rukia with probing eyes. "Tell me Rukia, is there really no way out of the marriage?" he asked quietly. "Because if there is, you can tell me, and I'll see to it that –

"I'm afraid that there really is no way out." Rukia lied, keeping her face impassive. Even if she hated lying, especially to Aizen taicho, the recent events have but left her with no choice. "My marriage to Kurosaki Taicho cannot be dissolved. It is acknowledged as binding by the Quincy as well."

"Why do you not trust me enough, Rukia?" Aizen suddenly asked. "Why won't you tell me what he did to you? About what happened to you there." He insisted "Your brother is worried, as I am. If Kurosaki taicho has forced himself on you, you must tell me. Do not be afraid, I will not judge you - "

Rukia shook her head "I'm sorry, but I am telling the truth." She said coolly, interrupting him from his train of thoughts. Knowing how he saw things from his perspective made her face feel heating slightly in embarrassment. "My husband has never forced himself… and whatever it is that you are asking… it was… with my… participation and consent." Mentally, Rukia hoped that he wouldn't probe into the topic anymore. It was unsettling to lie on this scale.

For a moment, Aizen's eyes bore onto hers. But he finally looked away with a small sigh. "Then there is truly nothing I can do? Have I lost you completely then?" Without waiting for her answer, Aizen once again focused his gaze on her. "Why Rukia? How could you give yourself to someone knowing you pledged yourself to me first?"

This was the exact question Rukia would have paid her entire fortune not to answer. "He was… just there, Aizen taicho." She said hesitantly, wondering how she could give him a satisfactory answer. "Ichigo is a very complex man… I confess, I was prepared to hate him and I did – at first." Taking a deep breath, Rukia was surprised to have the words flowing out of her mouth so rapidly. "But when I was at his home, everyone was just so kind to me and Inoue. His friends, his family, they all treated me like I was a part of their group… his sisters are adorable, his father was just funny, and his friends were very nice to me. And Ichigo…"

At this point, Rukia's voice trailed off as she tried to look at something, anything as her mind dug up words to sum up the Taicho she went at loggerheads with previously. "Ichigo is a just and fair man, Aizen taicho. Yes, he may act differently; he's crude and uncouth," she said, amusement faintly showing across her face as she remembered her verbal sparing matches with him. "But he has principles and he inspires his men so much. He cares for them and his family. It became all too easy for me to… respect and admire him… like him… and … um… want him…" Rukia felt her palms sweat as she stretched her story to greater heights, her voice fortunately not faltering as she added that last tidbit carefully.

It was true enough that she slowly respected Ichigo. She saw certain traits about him that she would never have believed possible before, but he was genuinely a memorable character. But as for wanting him… Rukia was not sure how to approach the matter – yet. But _**did she?**_

"He's an honorable man, Aizen taicho, please take my word for it."

"I have truly lost you." Aizen said ruefully, but there was a hint of understanding in his eyes. It was something that made Rukia feel relief. "Although I must confess to feel slighted, I'm afraid that I have no choice but to concede in this matter, it seems Kurosaki Taicho is the better man for you. I may try to fight to get you back, but what good will it do if you won't be completely mine?"

Did this mean that her betrothed would not insist on the matter of their engagement anymore? The thought filled Rukia with unexpected giddiness. "Thank you for understanding, Aizen taicho."

"Although I hope that you don't expect me to bring out the welcoming committee each time I see Kurosaki taicho."

"Oh no… I certainly wouldn't." Rukia assured him

Aizen chuckled, "I suppose you'll be asking for a wedding gift." He said as he gave her an amused look "I am not at all convinced that you just came here to tell me all these things."

Resisting the urge to look sheepish at being found out, Rukia just smiled. "Actually, I was rather hopeful that you'd take back the complaint you filed against my husband. Considering that he didn't do anything to your division."

There was a pregnant pause, before Aizen spoke again. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea, Rukia. Your brother and I believe that whatever wrong it is that Kurosaki taicho has done, it ought to be punished." He shook his head as he saw Rukia try to defend her husband "What would happen if a taicho who committed a crime went away unpunished? Anarchy would break out in Seiretei and everyone would start thinking that they can get away with just about anything."

Deep down, even if Rukia did want to see Ichigo freed, she knew that Aizen taicho's statement had merit. But she had hopes that Aizen would at least cut him some slack as his complaint against her husband had nothing to do with the security and well being of Seiretei. Perhaps Ishida was right, seeing Aizen would accomplish nothing. "I understand." she said slowly, as she stood up. "Thank you for sparing the time for me, Aizen taicho." Perhaps her earlier plan of convincing Aizen taicho was a bad one. There was also something about this conversation that was unsettling her, making her want to leave immediately.

"Well you ARE the Kuchiki princess." He said in jest "And everyone knows, it does not do one good to cross a Kuchiki."

Rukia smiled. This was what she would miss, the easy camaraderie with Aizen taicho and his wit. Though he was completely different from Ichigo, Rukia also admired and respected him.

"Rukia."

She was too lost in her thoughts that she was surprised to see Aizen standing in front of her. Too close for comfort. How did her get there so fast anyway?

He was looking down at her intently, with one of his arms braced against the table where she stood. "Aizen taicho?" she asked, trying to calm her nerves, as the feeling of panic increased. This was familiar, all too familiar…

(Flashback)

"_Rukia?" Aizen asked, "Is there something bothering you?"_

"_Oh nothing really, Aizen taicho."_

_Despite his out-of-the-blue proposal, the kidō training that she had with him continued on. To his credit, he did not press the issue further, but he did become more concerned about her and he often went out of his way to impress her. It was a courtship ritual Rukia was familiar with._

_Byakuya nii-sama on the other hand made some subtle hints regarding what he thought of Aizen taicho and he occasionally invited him over to join them for dinner. It was obvious that he approved of his fellow taicho and he was trying to make her give him a chance to prove himself._

_It was just so frustrating that she could not decide on her own. Really, if she had a nasty streak, she would have agreed to marry a man that her brother would loathe wholeheartedly. Yes, she thought with a mental nod that was emphatic, she ought to elope and marry someone without her brother's knowledge and blessing. She should marry a complete and utter… what was that word that her nii-sama often muttered when he was home? Oh yes, uncouth; an uncouth and annoying man who acted completely unlike her nii-sama. Rukia could already imagine the surprise and shock on Byakuya's face when that happened!_

_Unfortunately, she was also sure that the poor man would get the full blast of her brother's anger, which was not good at all. Obviously, no mere soul could impress her brother. Kaien perhaps, but he was not interested to see if it was possible. Aizen taicho did, yet Rukia was not completely certain that she was willing to marry him. As for her other suitors… well, they were better off chasing other prospects, as she would reject them several times over. _

_The only logical choice was to marry Aizen taicho – if she wanted to get married. After all, nii-sama already approved of him; he was an upstanding and popular taicho as well._

"_Rukia," Aizen said out of the blue "Will you marry me?"_

_Would she? "Perhaps." She said looking up to meet his stare as dread pooled in her stomach. "I am fond of you, Aizen taicho, but I need more time. Besides you said you wouldn't press your suit too much."_

_He nodded. "And I intend to keep that promise."_

_Rukia felt relief, and in that moment, she fancied that she was floating high up in the air, feeling a certain kind of peace. Something that she often associated in Aizen taicho's presence. It didn't happen all of the time, but it made itself known to her whenever she doubted him. Ever since he trained her and they sparred using their zanpaktuô, Rukia had felt her emotions become tied in knots; one minute she felt a certain fear grip at her, the next she was feeling warmth and safety – all in Aizen's presence. It was unexplainable and confusing. How was it possible to feel safe and wary of a person at the same time?_

_Suddenly, Aizen was in front of her, his hand holding her cheek._

"_Marry me, Rukia." He said once again, in carefully enunciated words. As Rukia looked up to face him and deny him, her mind flashed with certain things, scenes – perhaps even fanciful imaginings. A family. Respect from Nii-sama and the Kuchiki clan. A seat at the 13__th__. A lot of things. Why in the world was she daydreaming and at this moment nonetheless?_

_Rukia felt her eyes burn with unshed tears. All the things she wanted… not the money, the prestige… but the things that matter… was it really something that Aizen taicho could give her?_

_What about… Kaien?_

_But wasn't it Aizen taicho who wanted you? Something inside her asked, as memories of training with the other man flashed in front of her eyes. Aizen taicho… the man who cared for her and valued her as a shinigami first and as a woman second._

_Wasn't Aizen taicho the one protecting her all these times that she pined for Kaien? Rukia thought to herself as she was once more assailed with memories, of her attempting to go against a hollow on her own and being rescued by a worried Aizen taicho himself. Didn't he promise that she would always be safe with him? Wasn't he – _

_Why was she seeing Kaien's fateful farewell when he left for Seiretei again? Why was she seeing him walk away from her for the last time?_

_Then warm arms were holding her as her knees buckled._

"_Marry me, Rukia." Aizen 's voice said clearly from the clearing fog of memories. All of it hurt her head. She wanted to cry from the pain exploding in her head. Bad memories often hurt, didn't they? Somehow, there was this nagging feeling persisting that the hurtful memories would stop if she gave Aizen taicho a favorable answer. Was it true?_

"_Yes Aizen taicho," she whispered while she teetered on the brink of a painful daze "I will marry you."_

_Suddenly, the fog cleared and Rukia could once again see clearly. And she could see Aizen taicho looking over her kindly as she was wrapped in the warmth of his arms. "You have made me a very happy man with your answer, Rukia." He said as he leaned to press his lips against hers._

_Why was it that all she had were bad memories, Rukia wondered as she stood still while Aizen taicho's arms wrapped more tightly around her as his lips moved against hers with no little amount of possessiveness. As she felt her body go limp, the last thought she had was that of a wish – for the nightmares to stop completely. _

(End flashback)

By now, his lips were already on hers. This caused an intense feeling of unease that slid down her spine. Making sure her lips were tightly sealed, Rukia stepped to the side to avoid any more of it. "Aizen taicho." She said quietly, yet with a definite edge, "Please stop that, it is hardly proper." She added, unable to look at him in the eye.

Wordlessly, Aizen stepped back. "I'm sorry." He said, looking properly horrified at what he had done. "I didn't know what came over me."

Rukia nodded curtly "I have to go." She said immediately, "Ishida fukutaicho must be getting worried." Without another word, Rukia walked as fast as she could out of the office. Once outside, she leaned against the wall, taking deep breathes to calm her racing heartbeat. Damnit, what happened back there? One minute they were talking, and then he kissed her. And he even did it without her inkling!

Walking as fast as she could without trying to look like she was running, Rukia ventured outdoors. As she passed a corridor, she could hear whispers being traded back and forth while the eyes of these people were on her back. Ignoring the obviously malicious gossip, Rukia stepped out of the building to see Ishida fukutaicho who was looking as agitated as he allowed himself to be.

The man was obviously worried; the tension in him was almost visible to the naked eye. It didn't help that certain shinigamis were glaring at him. "Are you all right?" he asked without preamble. "What happened to you?"

"I'm fine." Rukia assured him, "I just want to get out of here."

Ishida wanted to say that she finally found the sense to realize just how much in danger she was in meeting Aizen alone, but he figured the first thing on the agenda was to get her either to the 13th or 14th. Apparently, no one bothered to inform her yet about Ukitake taicho's condition because she made no move to head to her division and glean information.

All that was important right now was to make sure that she was safe, or Kurosaki would skin him alive. "Let's go; I'll take you to the 14th." He said as he walked beside her.

Rukia shook her head. "No, I want to go to the 10th. I want to see Ichigo."

…

…

…

From the window of his division, Aizen could see the forms of Rukia and Ishida fukutaicho make their way out. A small frown wrinkled his brows. "My my, Rukia-chan." he said as he smirked "I didn't know you've grown to be an expert liar."

…

…

…

C.LeShay's corner

Meh. A flashback chapter sure makes my head hurt. I hope this one sheds some light on the 'dynamics' of the AiRuki element of this story. It tells a lot yes, but it still leaves much to your speculation. I'm hoping that those reading this chapter will catch on the hints that I placed in this chapter. These hints all point to future chapters and I hope you guys can wait for it.

Yes, I mentioned Kaien here, as he did play a significant part in Rukia's life. If you didn't get the previous reference: he was Rukia's first kiss. There's a bit of OoC-ness to Rukia here, but it will be explained - just not in the next chapter.

I also could not resist making future references to Ichigo here. Hope you were all able to spot them.

Once again, thanks for reading. And please, do review. I want to know just how this 'experimental' chapter went.


	11. Chapter 11

Heart's Desire Chapter 11

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know.

Many have expressed wanting to see IchiRuki 'action.' I confess that this leaves me… confused, as the fangirl in me was already screaming 'LEMON! LEMON!" while the writer in me shakes her head saying that it was not yet time. To reconcile these two opposing forces, I came up with this chapter. Yeah it has fluff but its still tame enough for the T-rating.

Summary: In the middle of the war against the Arrancar in Seiretei, Kurosaki Ichigo laid siege to the district of the noblest of all nobles. The mission: to capture and take as hostage the sister of his enemy, Kuchiki Rukia. The problem: the hostage herself.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_I'm fine." Rukia assured him, "I just want to get out of here."_

_Ishida wanted to say that she had sense to realize just how much in danger she was in meeting Aizen alone, but he figured the first thing on the agenda was to get her either to the 13__th__ or 14__th__. Apparently, no one bothered to inform her yet about Ukitake taicho's condition because she made n o move to head to her division and glean information._

_All that was important right now was to make she was safe, or Kurosaki would skin him alive. "Let's go; I'll take you to the 14__th__." He said as he walked beside her._

_Rukia shook her head. "No, I want to go to the 10__th__. I want to see Ichigo."_

…

…

…

_From the window of his division, Aizen could see the forms of Rukia and Ishida fukutaicho make their way out. A small frown wrinkled his brows. "My my, Rukia-chan." he said as he smirked "I didn't know you've grown to be an expert liar."_

…

…

…

There was merit as to why people generally did not wish to end up in jail, Ichigo thought wryly as he glanced at the dust mites flying overhead. It was because boredom was sure to happen, and the idea of not doing anything was maddening for him.

If he were in his division around this time, he probably would have spared with all of his ranked shinigami by now. Ichigo wondered what everyone was doing and if they were functioning properly. Tatsuki was supposed to be training the new recruits (or torture them, as thought about how the woman would conduct it) and Sado was on patrol duty. He was glad that Mizuiro already destroyed the reiatsu amplifier from Urahara (considering it still carried traces of HIS reiatsu when the other used it at the 6th, it was pretty much a damning evidence), or else Keigo would be pestering him to use it to make a mass of women go out with him. And what about the paperwork; was Ishida even doing it?

Ichigo snorted in disgust at the situation. His old man better be doing his job properly in making sure that his sisters and Rukia did not do anything stupid.

Especially Rukia. Come to think of it, he wondered just how she found amusement while she was imprisoned. Surely the dust in his division was more interesting than at the 10th, because the times he visited her while she was imprisoned, she looked like she was comfortable enough to be bored. Then again, she was a Kuchiki; she probably had a way of coping with all sorts of scenarios without losing her composure. What do rich noblewomen do to pass time anyway? Plan a party mentally? Think of a charitable foundation to support?

Ichigo snorted in disgust, Rukia had probably been imagining 100 ways on how to torture him.

God, he sighed mentally, he was SO bored. Why didn't anyone give him something to read in here? At this rate, he'd go crazy with just the company of eerie silence that was deafening. Any distraction would do right now. Hell, even his annoying new wife would be welcome. Rukia the cold noble or the shrew may drive him to kill, but at least he was sure that there was no dull moment in her company. And the damned woman was attractive, for crying out loud! That would be enough compensation for him to suffer her presence.

His hormones of course, were another story.

To his surprise, he heard the cell guard came down to check on him. It wasn't time for meals or something, so the only logical conclusion was that he had visitors. If it were Aizen once more, he'd really break his neck even before he could step closer this time. However, the guard brought in a guest that was completely what Ichigo did not expect: Rukia – with Ishida nonetheless. "What are you doing here?" he snarled. Didn't she remember what he told her? She was supposed to stay put.

Wasn't she supposed to be at Byuakuya's? She was all too excited to get home, considering the magnitude of the escape attempt she made previously. So what was she doing here?

"Well hello and good morning to you too, _dear_." Rukia said frostily, as she gave him a cold stare that was not seen by the guard.

Ichigo ambled over and grabbed the bars "So nice to see you, _love_." He grated out in fake cheer. "What brings you here today? If its problem with the plumbing, I'm afraid I can't help right now."

"Worry not about it… _sweetums_, we'll just have a swimming pool indoors – much better and cheaper than installing a new one." Rukia said, her voice so saccharine sweet it bordered on disgusting. "I believe that visiting my _husband_ was better than being concerned about the plumbing. Your father could be wallowing in the water as we speak, trying to heat it with Keigo's zanpaktuô to make it a hot spring."

Years of being a fukutaicho in the 14th taught Ishida to have well-honed instincts. Thus he faced the guard and gave him a good glare telling him without words to leave and give the couple privacy to talk.

Against the orders given to him by his commander, the guard left in a hurry, muttering about forgetting something outside. This alone told Ishida that he had what it takes to make a grown man piss in his hakama. Satisfied, he then turned to face Ichigo and said without preamble "Kurosaki, your wife went to Aizen's office." After all, he never forgot her snide 'Orihime's Stud' reference. At Rukia's incredulous glare he told her "Well, you never said I can't let him know. Besides, he ought to."

"Traitor." Hissed Rukia inaudibly, promising herself to make his life as hellish as she could in the future.

"What?" bellowed Ichigo, giving his wife a scary scowl "You went to the 5th? Why the hell did you do that? Are you stupid or naïve?"

"Says the man who is currently in jail for being both!" retorted Rukia, a high flush of anger showing across her cheeks.

Ishida sighed. Right; like he wished to be part of this. "Excuse me. I'll just wait outside until you two lovebirds sort this mess." He said as he started to walk out.

"And just where are you going?" barked ichigo.

"To make sure no one hears that there's trouble in paradise, what else?"

As soon as his fukutaicho was out, Ichigo immediately focused his attention to Rukia "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed lowly, considerate of the fact that anyone might overhear them if they weren't careful. When she made no reply, he decided to give her a venomous glare. "Out of all the stupid things you can do, you just had to go to Aizen."

"Oh, so it was stupid?" challenged Rukia in a likewise quieter tone. "Unlike you, I happen to have morals and a conscience. I owe Aizen taicho an apology. That may not sit well with you, but I certainly wanted to make my peace with him!"

Ichigo leaned as far down as he could "Really? And would your conscience save you if he decided to kill you – right then and there? Damn you woman, use your head for crying out loud, why the hell would you make a social call to your husband's enemy?"

Anger made Rukia's eyes flash. "Listen here, moron, if it gets my idiot husband out of jail, I would do it – got that?"

Obviously both were shocked to hear her say that she wanted to free Ichigo that for a moment, no one spoke.

"Have you forgotten your pride that you had to beg?" he accused, looking like she committed a crime more severe than his.

Rukia sighed in exasperation. This stupid conversation was making her head ache "I most certainly did NOT beg! I told him I wanted the charges against you dropped. Apparently he said no, as you are still in jail. So I left with Ishida and headed here."

"What would you have done if he didn't just let you go?"

"Defended myself, of course."

Ichigo looked like he wanted to strangle her for her misplaced confidence in others and herself. But he said nothing as he stood there studying her carefully. "Did he hurt you?" he finally grumbled out the question.

"Of course not." Rukia said, but she took care to look at him carefully, while avoiding his eyes. Ichigo seemed to buy it, and she felt relieved. But –

"What did he do to you?" came his snarl, his gut telling him that she was, once again hiding something. The look she had in her face was familiar… he had seen it before. It was the kind of look one had when caught in the middle of a crime scene, standing in front of a dead body, with a smoking gun in their hands. Yep, that was it. "Tell me, Rukia."

"Nothing!" she countered just as fiercely, wanting the conversation to go another direction.

"Don't think for a moment that you can lie to me!" he snapped, before he reached out and grabbed her by the chin. Rukia tried to struggle against it, but another hand snaked out to pull at her wrist. This brought her even closer to Ichigo and if it wasn't for the metal bars between them, she would definitely be held against him in close proximity.

Was Ichigo capable of violence? She thought in a rush of unexpected discomfort.

But Ichigo did not do anything else, aside from look into her eyes. "Rukia, please tell me." He asked; this time is calmer tones, deliberately sounding non-threatening. "I have to know. Did he do something that he shouldn't have done?"

It was all too convenient to lie, but Rukia knew that she had to trust this man as he had already brought her into his plans – making her a part of all of this mess. In her opinion, he didn't seem to be untrustworthy. Besides, it wasn't like he was hurting her. If anything, he was being extremely gentle holding her chin that way – as if he was afraid he'd break her. However, telling him the truth might cause potential disaster as well…

Resisting the urge to sigh, Rukia raised her eyes to his. "He tried to kiss me."

For a moment, Ichigo's amber eyes hardened. To his surprise, he felt jealousy stir in him as the idea of men trying to claim his wife assailed him. He would very much prefer to bash and break someone's face in anger, but the murderous light was soon gone as he looked over her again "Don't worry, I'll deal with him soon." He promised gravely.

"You will do no such thing!" Rukia said heatedly, her face a mask of haughty indifference. At his disbelieving and angry look, she glared at him "I can fight my own battles Ichigo. If he went way out of line, I would have done something. Honestly, Aizen isn't the first who attempted to act inappropriately with me. I've met men who were more enthusiastic and disgustingly worse."

"Did you break their arms Rukia?" he asked in an unexpectedly composed voice that belied the insane urge he felt to hurt someone. Ichigo wanted to say that those men better hope he never finds them, but at the moment he was too preoccupied to do anything else. He was too busy looking into Rukia's eyes as if hypnotized. All he wanted to do was make a point, to get her to get her to see his logic; but he found that it was almost impossible to pull himself together as he looked down at her violet eyes that were so dark and knowing that he felt like drowning in them.

Without breaking eye contact, Rukia smiled, unaware of the thoughts warring in Ichigo, she moved closer and whispered confidently. "Their arms AND a leg."

"Oh good," Ichigo said as his thumb moved on its own across Rukia's full lower lip, as he unconsciously skirted a line that was not meant to be crossed, "you left something for me to break." He said dangerously yet with apparent humor. "Byakuya better be sure you're safe in his home, or he'd hear from me."

"He doesn't have to do anything." Rukia insisted, her voice strangely lower and breathier than usual. She could feel a fluttering in her stomach, making her nervous. She wanted to bolt; uncomfortable with the obviously intimate position they were in – yet she she found herself unable to move. "I'm staying at your home." It was tempting, all too tempting to lean into him even more.

If he were the kind of person who smiled, Ichigo would have done so. The old man would make sure, as well as Ishida and the rest that no one would ever dare to even THINK of laying a grimy hand on his wife. He really didn't expect her to leave her brother and go to his family, but she did. Rukia's loyalty and trust had to be gained; he hoped he succeeded. As it was the only way he could protect her.

"Rukia. You lied to your brother and Aizen."

"Yes." She said simply, knowing what it was he was talking about. "I had no other choice… I know we didn't talk about it, but at the time –

"It's fine." He assured her, knowing that she was probably thinking about his family.

"I thought it would help get you out of jail." She told him in a whisper. "Well, I thought of your family too." She added, a blush staining the fair skin of her face.

Ichigo was surprised. "Thank you for watching out for them." He said, voice hoarse. He didn't expect her to go out of her way to think about his father, Karin, Yuzu, and everyone else – but she did.

"They're my family now, Ichigo." She confided with a small, amused smile. "Families are supposed to take care of each other, right?"

_Families are supposed to take care of each other_. His mother often told him that when he was younger. Despite his earlier misgivings and assumptions regarding her character, Rukia was a woman who had so much to give and she opened her arms to his family, despite the circumstances that brought in that need. Was it really that long since he thought that he wanted to strangle her because she infuriated him to no end?

Or was he just mad because of the reactions she brought out in him? Ichigo had resigned himself to vengeance a long time ago. His single-minded vendetta against Aizen taught him to be harsh and unyielding, to bury emotions other than anger in order to make himself stronger. How long has it been really since he had been this intrigued and interested in a woman that his carefully planned revenge was taking a drastic turn? Why was it that with Rukia he yearned for a future… any future where the stigma of blood did not follow him?

Giving in to what he wanted to do for so long, Ichigo's other hand let go of her wrist to cup the back of her head and pull her up for a kiss.

Her lips were just as soft and warm as he imagined. She made no protest nor moved away as his lips moved against hers. Instead, she raised herself on her toes and tentatively kissed him back. Hell, if he had known she'd respond to him, he would have done it ages ago.

Ichigo used his thumb to carefully massage her jaw, helping her to relax and lean more into him. In the back of his mind, Ichigo could feel the cold bars of his cell dig against his skin, but he made no move to remedy it and instead focused on the here and now. On Rukia.

By all that was holy, now her scent was taking control of his senses! It was that same jasmine scent as before and it was still as intoxicating as the first time he smelled it. Ichigo promised to get her a large bottle of jasmine-scented perfumes – which was entirely for his benefit, not hers.

What would he give just to have the thrice-damned metals bars disappear so he could pull her against him? To feel for himself the modestly soft curves that she had unconsciously tempted him with? Ichigo stifled a groan as his hand decided to slide down her back to rest above the swell of her backside, the movement only making his arm muscles scream from exertion, yet served to pull her as close to him as possible. Damn, this woman was driving him insane!

As Ichigo's other hand encountered a particularly ticklish spot below her ear, Rukia was torn between giggling or gasping. She couldn't think straight; only feel. Her hands were hanging limply against her sides, idle. She knew that they had to do something instead of just being useless… but for the life of her she couldn't even make her brain come up with a rational thought to command her body to move!

Breathe! Ordered her burning lungs, and she complied. As she inhaled, taking in as well the usual citrus-y smell she associated with Ichigo. She definitely had to thank Hitsugaya taicho for allowing Ichigo to be given personal artifacts and toiletries instead of the standard shinigami cell ones.

When she was younger, Rukia heard and believed that kissing someone was an exhilarating experience, where you would see fireworks of different colors burst into the dark sky. Of course, as time passed and she experienced it for herself, she came to accept this as a metaphor – as such things were not possible, unless someone really did set off fireworks at the exact same moment. The fireworks were supposed to be emotions, warmth, and perhaps giddy excitement. But now… she wondered if a kiss was supposed to feel like this. Like a burst of kidō ran through your veins – from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. Was a kiss supposed to make you feel like you were burning up and freezing at the same time? Were you supposed to feel like all your nerve endings were bursting with electricity?

There was no gentleness, but rather need – a disturbingly hungry need that she never felt possible. Was she supposed to NOT feel shyness but passion?

If it did, it only meant two things; either Rukia had been unfeeling for quite a while, or Ichigo was just a damn good kisser – perhaps even the best she ever encountered.

Deciding to the hell with it, Rukia's hands moved up to weave themselves around her husband's wild orange-colored hair, wanting to feel more of the flame. Eagerness, gentleness, and reserve she knew – she was no means completely clueless with kissing; but this… this swamping emotions that made her hazy was a novel experience.

As Ichigo angled his mouth to kiss her more deeply, Rukia instinctively parted her lips, trying her best to hold back a whimper as she felt his tongue slide to touch hers in an intimate caress.

Damn, it felt so good, she thought giddily as she felt him groan in approval at how she matched his ardor.

"Ahem." There was a sound of someone trying to get attention by clearing his throat. "Ahem, excuse me. I know you're newly married, but you're not supposed to do that here."

As if struck by lighting, Ichigo and Rukia sprang apart from each other forcefully. Just in time to see a red-faced Hitsugaya looking pointedly at them. Beside him, Matsumoto's eyes were wide and her jaw was almost on the floor. On the other hand, Ishida was looking decidedly smug about something.

Despite being embarrassed, Ichigo bellowed, "Out Toushiro, this isn't for kids to see!"

For her part, Rukia threw him a dark look for bringing more attention into the… incident. Stiffening her spine, she looked at Ishida "I believe I should be going home now." She said in a strangled voice, her face crimson. "I'm sure Yuzu has cooked something good for dinner."

Ichigo nodded to his fukutaicho who stepped down to escort Rukia. "You will not go anywhere without Ishida, do you understand?"

Rukia opened her mouth to retort when she saw the look Ichigo was giving her. It was possessive and it promised that the 'unfinished' business would be addressed soon. Her face flushed even further as she recalled just how improper she behaved – in public even! Where has her Kuchiki breeding gone to? "Fine, as you wish." She found herself muttering as she followed Ishida out.

"Wow!" Matsumoto said as soon as Rukia was out of earshot. "They were making out in jail!" she said with glee.

"It was only a kiss, Matsumoto." Ichigo said angrily at the two, as if blaming them for interrupting a very rare moment he had been fantasizing about for so long. "Stop being so excited over seeing one. And I forbid you to tell anyone about it, either."

Matsumoto gaped at Ichigo "Wow! If that was a kiss, I wonder how the sex must be like!" she said in an impressed tone as she looked at the taicho of the 14th carefully. "I must refresh my sources and ask your former lovers if you really kiss that good to render a Kuchiki dazed even for a moment."

"Matsumoto!" Hitsugaya barked, face still sporting a tell-tale blush. "Do you mind?"

His endowed fukutaicho looked at her taicho uncomprehendingly for a moment, before understanding bloomed in her face "Oh… sorry… minors, right." She said dismissively.

"MATSUMOTO!!" Hitsugaya burst out "Don't you have paperwork to do?"

"But taichoooooo…" she complained, "Paperwork is SO boring. Unless…" she trailed off as if just getting to a brilliant idea "Well unless Kurosaki taicho plans to file forms for conjugal visits –

"Matsumoto!" both taichos called out sharply.

"Oh my word." Matsumoto said in indignation "All I was trying to do was help. Fine! I'll go now, happy taicho?" she said as she walked, not even waiting for Hitsugaya's reply; muttering about taichos, particularly two ones, who should get laid.

As soon as his fukutaicho was out, Hitsugaya turned to Ichigo. "Exercise discretion for once, Kurosaki." He said snidely "You're in jail not on vacation."

Indignant, Ichigo glared at the other man "You're the one who interrupted the honeymoon! And tell that fukutaicho of yours to keep her mouth shut on this. Rukia's had enough rumors about her as it is."

Hitsugaya returned the look with equal measure "Does the name Urahara Kisuke ring a bell to you, Kurosaki?" he asked, changing the topic effectively.

"The old pervert sandal-hat?" Ichigo asked incredulously. "Yeah, I know him. What about it?"

"Do you know where he is?"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow "Me? You're asking me?" he snorted in amusement "Toushiro, I'm the LAST person he'd inform of where he is." Ichigo told him. "The old fart did something really bad and he has his arms full of the shit he's still cleaning. He knows it's a BAD idea to let me in on his hiding spot."

Because if it wasn't for Urahara, he wouldn't be in this mess at all. Therefore Ichigo claimed it as his right to give that pervert a good bashing the next time he saw him. Wherever he was, he better be grateful he was far away from Ichigo as possible.

Hitsugaya was silent as Ichigo made his bitter denial known. Why was it that Kurosaki Ichigo still acted like he was lucid and had full control of his faculties if he had gone to the deep end as what Aizen theorized? He had never known Kurosaki to be the type who lied in wait for many years before striking back. Neither did he seem to be the kind of person who could be swayed by another's ideas easily.

Was Kurosaki a pawn or the mastermind? Hitsugaya's thoughts raced to come up with a viable answer. Was he played into this drama by the hand of Urahara Kisuke himself, or was it by his own machinations that Kurosaki Ichigo was in this predicament? There were so many questions, the most important of which was what will happen next?

Could Seiretei really be under a hidden threat? If Kurosaki Ichigo was part of it… Hitsugaya's eyes turned flinty; comrade or not – he was going to bring him down.

…

…

…

"OH! I am so happy that all of my daughters are here to enjoy this lovely evening with me!" Isshin cried out as he attempted to hug the women all at once. "Father is definitely happy!"

Karin rolled her eyes as she tried to squirm her way out of her father's grasp "Oh joy." She deadpanned "I brought you happiness; now my life has meaning."

"Father…" Yuzu said hesitantly, as she patted Isshin on the back in a reassuring way "I think we should eat now, right? Rukia-nee must be hungry after all that excitement."

Rukia's face flushed "What?" she blurted out nervously as she too tried to worm her way out of Isshin's arms. Was there any way that Yuzu found out about… Oh. Her brows knitted together in anger. She was so going to kill Ishida for telling them that… that…

"I haven't really been to any other cell, except for the one here. It must be a tiring and scary experience." Yuzu said soothingly as she continued to disentangle her father's arms around her.

Rukia felt a feeling of intense relief. Ishida never told anyone.

She completely missed the interested and happy gleam in Isshin's eyes as he appraised her.

"Well then!" harrumphed Isshin pompously "Shall we go and have our fill of what the Kurosaki kitchen has to offer?" With this he led 'his girls' over to the dinning table, which was groaning with the weight of nearly a hundred dishes.

When Kurosaki Yuzu was worried or nervous, she often cooked to relieve stress.

Obviously, she was under extreme pressure with her brother in jail.

The presence of Ichigo's ranked officers was sorely missed. They were still busy with affairs of the division and they asked to be excused from joining them. Even Inoue was absent, asking Rukia beforehand to allow her to dine with Ishida instead.

Before they could all dig into the feast, Isshin raised a hand. "Wait." He said somberly. "Let us take time to think of Ichigo. He may not be here with us now physically, but I am sure that his spirit still goes with us." To everyone's surprise, Isshin tacked up a photo of a scowling Ichigo on the table (Isshin remembers how Ichigo threw him out the window when he ambushed him to take pictures using a device from the living world labeled 'Polaroid'), beside Rukia. With impressive speeds, he lit a few incense sticks and placed a plate full of the dishes that was on the table in front of it.

Rukia's eyes almost popped out in horror as she stared transfixed at the 'shrine' of her husband.

Karin immediately kicked her father, sending him sprawling on the carpet "Idiot, he's not dead! What are you doing giving offerings?" Beside her, Yuzu started to tear up, apparently thinking of what she would do if her brother died.

"But Karin!" sobbed Isshin, "I was only thinking that Ichigo wanted to eat these delicious food too!"

"Then pack him some leftovers and send it to him!" she shouted "You crazy old goat-chin!"

"MASAKI!!" cried Isshin as he made a run to his wife's portrait "Oh! Why is our Karin so cold to me? All I'm doing is being concerned about our stubborn son and she's not appreciating my efforts! Masaki, my love; I told you Karin didn't get your sunny disposition!"

"Will you do us all a favor and get a hold of yourself!" shouted Karin, as she proceeded to kick her father several times.

To Rukia's amazement, Yuzu sniffled and started to heap food on her plate "Eat, Rukia-nee," she said, "You're getting thinner and thinner. Ichi-nii wouldn't want that to happen."

"Yes… he… wouldn't…" seconded Isshin brokenly, in between kicks from Karin "Frail women… have… difficulty… carrying and… giving… birth!" He then raised a thumb to salute his daughter-in-law "So eat… up… Rukia-chan… You two… still owe me… ten grandkids!"

Rukia didn't know if she was going to laugh or cry.

…

…

…

Burning the midnight oil was a phrase the 10th division was familiar with. This was something that they heard often, though of course in polar degrees of meaning.

For Hitsugaya-taicho, this phrase was almost revered. For him, burning the midnight oil was their way of showing their commitment to Seiretei – to put duty above all else, to sacrifice personal time for their job.

For Matsumoto fukutaicho, this phrase was a blasphemy. For her, burning the midnight oil was a sacrilege of their personal time – an aberration that must be removed immediately.

Unfortunately to hear them both say it one after the other meant anarchy.

"Taicho!" whined Matsumoto "Can't that stupid paperwork wait tomorrow? I mean, its not going to disappear if we leave it alone for one night!"

"It may not disappear, Matsumoto," Hitsugaya replied calmly, though a vein was appearing on his forehead "But it doesn't mean that it won't duplicate itself and become more of a hassle the next day when we get work piled on us."

"But-

"Matsumoto, you said the EXACT same thing about last week's reports." Hitsugaya muttered darkly "Have you finished the backlog yet?"

"Can't I do that tomorrow?"

"No; tomorrow is when you'll finish TODAY's reports. So you really have to stay and burn the midnight oil."

Matsumoto pouted, even if she knew it wouldn't work with her stiff and laced taicho… it was the principle of the thing, you see. "But taicho, I don't want to burn the midnight oil."

Hitsugaya looked at her as if she blurted a profanity. He opened his mouth to berate her once more, when the appearance of a hell butterfly interrupted them.

…

…

…

Later, Hitsugaya carefully walked down the stairs to Kurosaki Ichigo's detention cell. He did not allow the guard to introduce him as he stood there looking quietly at the man who was accused of turning traitor against Seiretei.

Kurosaki Ichigo sat there, relaxed yet somewhat tensed. He was looking out of the window despite not seeing anything but pitch-black skies. A thin shaft of moonlight was able to escape and get inside the cell, casting a pallid light on the other man.

Something twinkled and Hitsugaya realized that it was the ring on his finger, catching the weak moonbeams.

Frowning, Hitsugaya walked grimly, thankful that he wasn't the one to break the news to the other taicho's wife.

…

…

…

Everyone stared at the unmoving figure of Ishida.

The hell butterfly had been sent out after delivering its message, but still the fukutaicho of the 14th made mo move to say what was in the report.

Tatsuki gave up asking him to tell it to them minutes ago. Ichigo's family - his father and sisters, as well as his officers stood on one side of the room, mindful of the blank look on Ishida's face and the tensed figure of Rukia who stood behind him, waiting. The people in the room all came in together, dashing after hearing the news that a hell butterfly was sent to Ishida. Logically, it meant that this message was about Ichigo.

Slowly, Ishida turned to face his taicho's wife. "Rukia-san…" he trailed, slightly wincing for reasons still unknown.

"Did they pass judgment already?" she asked him calmly, though her hands were fisted close to her sides. At Ishida's slow nod, she pressed on "What is it then?"

"Kurosaki… Kurosaki Taicho has been found guilty of treason and is hereby sentenced… to death."

…

…

…

(TBC)


	12. Chapter 12

Heart's Desire Chapter 12

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! Who does? Kubo of course! And I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know.

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Recap of previous chapter:

_Everyone stared at the unmoving figure of Ishida._

_The hell butterfly had been sent out after delivering its message, but still the fukutaicho of the 14__th__ made mo move to say what was in the report._

_Tatsuki gave up asking him to tell it to them minutes ago. Ichigo's family - his father and sisters, as well as his officers stood on one side of the room, mindful of the blank look on Ishida's face and the tensed figure of Rukia who stood behind him, waiting. The people in the room all came in together, dashing after hearing the news that a hell butterfly was sent to Ishida. Logically, it meant that this message was about Ichigo._

_Slowly, Ishida turned to face his taicho's wife. "Rukia-san…" he trailed, slightly wincing for reasons still unknown._

"_Did they pass judgment already?" she asked him calmly, though her hands were fisted close to her sides. At Ishida's slow nod, she pressed on "What is it then?"_

"_Kurosaki… Kurosaki Taicho has been found guilty of treason and is hereby sentenced… to death."_

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…

The announcement of Kurosaki taicho's fate was met with mixed reactions in Seiretei. Many were surprised yet not as much as those who expected the verdict. There wasn't much time to gossip, as they were still in the middle of a decisive war in Hueco Mundo. By the end of the month, on the day of Kurosaki's set execution, the taichos would all gather once more at the Soukyoku Hill to witness the implementation of the death penalty on one of its high-ranking members after such a long time.

Obviously, the presence of these taichos would ensure that this lesson would not be forgotten. It had also been decided that Ishida fukutaicho would be placed in jail (the location was still undisclosed) for an indefinite period of time. Even Kurosaki taicho's high-ranking officers would be punished, as they were to be stripped of their ranks on the day their taicho was to be executed.

As for one Kurosaki Rukia, Central 46 never saw her as an accessory, only as a victim of a convoluted plot. Nevertheless, she would be under the strict supervision of Ukitake taicho and any promotions that would be given to her were temporarily suspended until further notice. People suspected that the Central 46 was turning a blind eye on her, as she was the sister of Kuchiki Byakuya, while others simply believed that she cut a deal with the Central 46 in hopes of getting out of her marriage to Kurosaki Ichigo.

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…

"Rukia-chan."

Turning, Rukia spotted Isshin standing near her. "You're not going back to jail to see Ichigo, aren't you?" he asked casually "Considering the kind of rumors going around and what happened recently, I'd like to request you to stay here."

He was of course, referring to the arrest made earlier on Ishida. As of the moment, he was now in the same division as Ichigo. Due to his better judgment, Isshin decided not to inform anyone that his son's fukutaicho would soon be 'disappearing.' Officially, Ishida would be listed as given 'honorable discharge' or 'relocated somewhere else,' but he knew better. The Quincy would be carted off to one of the many hidden cells of the 2nd division – never to be seen again. Ishida was considered lucky that Central 46 decided against executing him as well.

"I need to talk to Ichigo. I need to ask him something." Rukia said without preamble. "I also need to make a petition –

"Rukia-chan," Isshin said gently "You're too tense. Ichigo would be worried if he saw you like that. Have you tried getting in touch with Ukitake again?" he asked, referring to the incident that had befallen his daughter-in-law's taicho. Getting two distressing news simultaneously was not doing her any good. In fact, Rukia looked paler than death and on the verge of fainting from worry and exhaustion. True, she was a trooper and she tried to maintain her dignity and show strength; but she was way too stressed to continue her façade.

She hasn't even slept for two days, for crying out loud. Isshin was forced to admit that his son's wife had a constitution of a workhorse, despite her petit frame. No one could ever remain that alert and decisive with two days' lack of sleep. She went on to contact her division first and then tried to sneak out several times to see Ichigo. Keigo, the one assigned to watch over her, was not amused.

At this rate, Isshin was hoping that Rukia would faint. It would be her only chance to get some shut-eye.

"Sentaro-san said that Ukitake taicho is fast recovering, thanks to Unohana taicho." Rukia said, "Now I want to know what's happening with Ichigo. I can't just sit here, father."

Secretly delighted at being called 'father,' Isshin schooled his features into a serious mien. "Some rest first, Rukia-chan. Then I'll let you see Ichigo tomorrow, I promise."

Rukia looked like she was considering his statement for a while. "All right then. I'll hold you to that."

"Good!" Beamed Isshin "Now would you like a lullaby? A particular favorite of Ichigo perhaps?" he offered enthusiastically before whispering conspiratorially, eyebrows waggling "Shall I give you Ichigo's Mr. Stubbles? It was his favorite bear, his _bestest friend ever_ when he was five. It's still hidden in the attic somewhere."

Rukia forced back a weak chuckle. "It's okay, I don't really need a bear to snuggle so I can get some sleep." She then bowed politely "I better go upstairs now. I hope you'll keep your word…"

"Yes, Rukia-chan; I promise you, I'll take you to see Ichigo myself. I'm sure Inoue would love to accompany you; she'd like to see Ishida as well." Isshin said, placing his right hand on his chest. "Oh and Rukia?" he asked, "I hope you don't get bothered by all those talks. Don't let it get to you because they're not true. We know you, so we don't waste time listening to gossip."

At his assurance, Rukia nodded and left.

A not very long walk later, Rukia reached the room that was supposedly to be for her and Ichigo. Without another word, she flopped on the bed in a graceless heap of numb limbs. Whatever his plan was, tomorrow would be the day he'd let her in it. Anyone who would attempt to set off this chain of events would NOT have a plan. Besides, fumed Rukia inwardly, why wasn't she updated on it? The bastard acted as if he had all the time in the world.

Execution. Ichigo was scheduled for execution, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Rukia was tempted to come out clean about the marriage arrangement she had with Ichigo, but realistically, it wouldn't be doing anything to save his life. All she would do by telling the truth was to make a bigger muck out of everything. Besides, she did give Ichigo her word that she would trust him – no matter what happened.

She had to grudgingly admit that Ichigo was strong and he was definitely powerful enough to take on a lot of things. And if he was right, and Aizen was somehow involved with something about the hyougokyu, he was the one who can help make it right.

Still, she thought that he was a complete moron though.

As she felt sleep beckon her, Rukia's last thought was a grim one: that Ichigo better have a back-up plan.

…

…

…

His light yet sure footsteps made no such sound as he walked along the corridor. Stealth and agility, as well as speed were one of the things he was known for – especially for the last one – and he always lived up to that expectation.

It was important to set an example of course.

"Kuchiki taicho." Hitsugaya greets him curtly, yet with no trace of hostility. "I take it you're here to see Kurosaki?"

The noble made no move to reply, but nodded slightly in acknowledgment. After the announcement of Rukia's marriage to Ichigo, up to the latter's scheduled execution, Kuchiki Byakuya had gotten many a subtle and not-so-subtle nudges to comment on the recent events. Sometimes, he wondered if gossip really was the staple nourishment in Seiretei.

Raising a sister was no easy task and Byakuya was almost wishing for the relaxed times where the only mess that Rukia made was to reject outright a prospective suitor in the middle of the dance floor in a very traditional gathering with other nobles.

As they continued on, Hitsugaya looked like he wanted to ask a dozen or more other questions, but he decided to remain silent and instead motioned the other taicho to follow him to Kurosaki's cell.

The walk through the jail cells was uneventful and silent. It was only after they reached their destination did Hitsugaya speak once again. "Kurosaki taicho, someone's here to see you."

Seated on his cot, Ichigo slowly looked up. "Aw hell, now my day's all shot." He snarled as he caught the sight of his brother-in-law's approach. "What are you doing here, Byakuya?" When the other made no reply, Ichigo added snidely "If you're asking me if Rukia moves back to your manor, the answer is no."

Kuchiki Byakuya looked at him haughtily, as if he was something nasty that his sandal-shod feet had accidentally trodden on. How presumptuous of him to think he could anticipate everything. "I came to inform you that whatever child you and my sister might have in the future will be the heir-apparent of the Kuchiki clan, next to my sister that is. It is only fitting that your offspring be raised as such."

"Why is it that you don't look to pleased with the arrangement?" Ichigo asked bluntly, ignoring the choking sound that came from his fukutaicho, who was in the cell next to his. The damn Ishida sounded like he was trying to suppress his laughter.

Byakuya gave the other man a blank stare. "It may be unfortunate… but if in the future Rukia would carry your child, I will have to provide for them."

"My family can handle that sort of thing, Byakuya." Ichigo retorted, hackles rising. If this shit-head thought that he could control any kid he had (okay, granted he was SURE there wouldn't be any future Kurosaki's coming from him and Rukia – yet – if you base it on their signed contract of course), the idea of handing his firstborn over to the stuffy robed Kuchikis was out of the question. "Rukia is a Kurosaki, her children will be a Kurosaki."

"She is next-in-line to the position of Kuchiki clan head." Byakuya said in a level tone perfected by decades of dealing with people below him. "Because Rukia is the future leader of the Kuchikis she has duties and responsibilities to our family. As for her child, he will undergo the same kind of education as Rukia's."

Snorting in disapproval and disgust, Ichigo rolled his eyes. Right. The Kuchiki's undertook the supervision of Rukia's _education_… look at what happened to her. No child of him was going to be a miniature version of Byakuya. A mini-Rukia in itself was a potential disaster, in Ichigo's opinion, remembering just how hard the said woman kicked and punched him, several times. "Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Looking back at my wife, I can say with complete certainty that your 'Kuchiki Upbringing' would make my kid worthless."

"Do not presume to even fathom the idea of a 'Kuchiki Upbringing." Byakuya replied in a cool reprimand. "One such as yourself is not privy to what our clan and our elders do."

"Did you somehow conveniently forget that the Kurosakis are of noble blood as well, Byakuya?" the orange-haired taicho snapped back. "Oh wait." He said in mock surprise, as if a thought just occurred. "But the Kurosakis are of much _**lesser **_rank in the nobility chain. After all, we're only but two steps down from the Ukitake clan, and heaven knows just how much you try to tolerate Ukitake taicho."

Kuchiki Byakuya's face remained as impassive as ever, not rising to the bait.

Ichigo scowled, but he also sent his brother-in-law a calculating look. "Are you saying that I can trust your elders not to manipulate any child of mine?" he asked "I have heard rumors, Kuchiki-_**sama**_. It seems that not all of the members of your council approved of your decision to make Rukia your heir."

"The council's approval has nothing to do with my decision. The council does not supercede my authority."

"Will they stand behind Rukia then?" Ichigo challenged.

"Rukia's word will be law. I trust her not to make decisions that the council will frown upon."

Exasperated, Ichigo growled, baring his teeth angrily "What is it with you Kuchikis that make you assume that you are infallible? You acknowledge her as your heir, but the council doesn't. Way to go 'protecting' your sister– you just threw her in a den of wolves' idiot. You might as well give them a knife to stab her in the back."

Byakuya frowned "They would not dare."

"If there's anything I've learned Byakuya, is that people would dare."

…

…

…

"Ah. Rukia-san. Seeing you back here certainly is … pleasant."

Liar. Rukia simmered in silent anger, though her face did not betray her emotions as the less-than-welcome greeting was given. Kuchiki Hajime the elder. A man who held such a high position in the Kuchiki council for as long as she could remember.

A man who has always considered her as an usurper to the Kuchiki clan since she came to live with Byakuya nii-sama after his wife had died. Among all the people in the council, it was Hajime who looked at her with scorn and eyes that were mocking, as if she was trash that dared sit on the Kuchiki compounds. He always had the vilest and cruelest remarks reserved for her, ready to be unleashed once she made even the slightest misstep.

He was also a coward who hid behind Kuchiki decorum when their lord was around.

If Rukia was not too keen in wanting to know what Ichigo and her brother talked about yesterday, she wouldn't even be here anymore. As it is, when she and Yuzu visited Ichigo last night to bring food, he was looking at her oddly.

Of course it had nothing to with what happened the last time she visited… though at one point she could have sworn that Ichigo was looking at her with eyes that seemed to pin her in place… the slightly masked look of approval he gave her as he looked over her lingeringly was enough to make a weak woman run out or just melt into a puddle.

Giving the other a deep bow, Rukia murmured "Kuchiki Hajime-san. I came to see nii-sama."

"I was not informed of this." He sneered. "Kuchiki-sama is busy with important things. I do not think that he would waste time dealing with… you."

Breathe. Rukia told herself, breathe. To react in such a disrespectful manner would only enrage Hajime and make him lash out. To be scorned and punished was not what Rukia feared for a long time; it was the fear of her hurting him back that held her from defending herself. Such actions would greatly disappoint nii-sama and it would make him lose face among the elders.

Of course, Rukia also feared that her retaliation would cut Kuchiki Hajime in pieces smaller than bonito flakes. How unfortunate that the man was unaware of that small tidbit.

"Rukia-san?" From behind her, Keigo took a step forward, asking a silent question to deck the elder on the head on being blatantly disrespectful of his taicho's wife. The moment the… _**thing**_ dared mock Rukia-san, he had been itching to burn Kuchiki Hajime to a crisp. He was only saved with the thought that Ichigo wanted first dibs on anyone who dared speak to Rukia that way.

But the Kuchiki noblewoman shook her head "Do you mind leaving us for some privacy, Asano-san? I'll have someone bring you to the dining room and get you something to eat." She said gently, nodding in encouragement. "I'm sure this won't take long."

"Kami help me if this does." Hajime said snidely, looking down at Rukia with less than hidden disdain before he fixed Keigo with a similar stare.

Keigo snarled in warning before he allowed himself to be led out by one of the servants.

As soon as they were alone, Hajime stood straighter and his sneer became more pronounced. "Kuchiki-sama is not here. If you were asked to see him and he is absent, the meaning would be obvious, wouldn't it?"

Rukia kept her eyes on the floor, counting as far as she could in order to regain a semblance of calm.

…

…

…

The vast variety of snacks that were placed on the table in front of him was enough to make anyone drool. Keigo happily looked at the array of cakes and other traditional mid-day repast that was offered to him by the Kuchiki maids.

It was as if he discovered a food nirvana of sorts.

"Please eat your fill, there are more where that came from." The matronly maid who took care of him said kindly. "So you're the one guarding Rukia-sama, thank you for letting her stop by for a visit."

Another maid stopped by to sit across him "How is Rukia-sama, she's lost some weight. Does she get enough sleep?"

A package was hastily pushed to Keigo "Please give this to Rukia-sama; she loves this particular blend of tea."

Quickly swallowing a mochi, Keigo blinked at the women "Oh… well… err… she's fine! She's having trouble sleeping, so what I've heard from Tatsuki and Inoue, but she's holding up pretty well –

"How is Inoue by the way?"

"Saya, ask about Inoue later. That girl will always be fine; it's Rukia-sama that we should ask about first!" one of the women said quickly. "We heard about the execution order, how does Rukia-sama hold up?"

Keigo felt his head ache at the rapid-fire questions that were asked from him. "Well, Rukia-san is holding up pretty well. She's a shinigami, she'll be strong enough for Ichigo."

The girl named Saya sighed, "Its just that since she married Kurosaki Taicho, Rukia-sama has been the subject of scandalous gossips."

"Mind your mouth girl," the older servant admonished, "You know better that Rukia-sama was lucky enough not to be married to Aizen taicho."

"Oh woe, no love in that." A maid tittered as she giggled.

The older maid, Keigo learned that her name was Miyako, continued to feed him with cakes as she shushed the others. "It was a convenient arrangement, it is common in noble marriages."

"But eloping? That's love!" Saya gushed out; her eyes alight with the idea of a romantic arrangement.

Keigo wanted to frown. They made it sound as if Rukia eloped with Ichigo – which was not really the case. However, he was pleased to hear that they approved of the marriage. "Her brother isn't happy about it."

"Oh shush." Miyako said kindly, as if amused at his insane theory "As long as Rukia-sama is happy, Kuchiki Byakuya-sama is happy. His sister's welfare is important! Besides, he ought to be pleased that Rukia-sama finally had the guts to decide for herself. I have a feeling he's suspecting that his sister is a pushover, if you ask me."

"It's the elders who are in a snit!" snickered Saya as she trembled with mirth. "They wanted her to marry a rich noble of their choosing… Rukia-sama is lucky to have made that escape."

Miyako waved a hand at Saya "Oh be quiet, if someone hears us, Rukia-sama is going to be in trouble."

At those words, Keigo choked on his rice cake. "Excuse me?" he spluttered, "I've been meaning to ask a question." He said weakly. It was fortunate that he remembered the order that Ichigo passed to him yesterday. "Is it true that Rukia-san is Kuchiki taicho's heir? I thought that the Kuchiki elders were pushing her brother to get married and have a male heir?"

The servants looked at each other for a moment. As Miyako nodded, Saya made her way to close the door hurriedly while the other servant pulled down the shades on the window.

Miyako took her sweet time to pour more tea in Keigo's cup. "Can you be trusted with Rukia-sama's safety?"

Gulping the mochi, Keigo nodded, half-afraid of the calculating look in the older woman's eye "Even if not under the pain of humiliating torture and long-drawn death in my Taicho's hands should anything happen to her, I would gladly lay my life for Rukia-san."

"I suggest you busy your mouth with the mochi so you don't interrupt me." Miyako said seriously, "This will take quite a while."

…

…

…

"Where have you been, old man?" Karin asked impatiently as she met her father at their home's main courtyard. "You're giving Yuzu enough reason to worry, considering that Rukia-nee isn't here yet."

It was already late in the afternoon, and the sky was already tinged with a pink hue that signified the descent of the sun. The air was particularly still, as if it felt no desire to blow the fluffy, white clouds. Somehow, Karin got the feeling that there was nothing normal about this evening. The thought that something was lurking just away from her reach made her feel a bit of fear.

Ichigo was in jail. Ichigo was scheduled to be executed. Everything was going to hell in the 14th. All the ranked shinigami were frantically rushing about, finishing their last paperwork, while the unseated members felt the heavy aura of a major change. The division had been used to Kurosaki men leading them, and with Ichigo taicho's coming _induced _demise, the fate of everyone else in the 14th was hanging in the balance.

Karin wanted to break something. Where the hell did her father go that he got home this late? He said he was going to see Ukitake taicho – who was just ordered back to Seiretei to recuperate, did he actually have to stay there that long? Granted they were friends, but at this moment when they were in a crisis, he was supposed to be at home. Or at least wondering why Rukia-nee was still outside.

"Yes, I missed you too, Karin." Isshin sang exuberantly "Now that papa's home, come on and give me a hug and a kiss!" he cried as he dashed to the entrance with his arms outstretched.

His puckered lip was met with the warm kiss of a geta. "Don't. You. Even. Dare." Karin bristled and glared in a way that would make Ichigo proud.

Isshin felt a rush of pride. Oh, his beloved daughter was growing stronger everyday! "My dearest Karin," he cried jubilantly, "You're growing up! After half a decade, my baby is growing up!" Giving the other a knowing wink, he giggled "Is my little baby having boy troubles already? If so, papa's bosom is the best place to cry it out! Let us analyze the feelings, catalogue the facts, and come up with a viable conclusion as we do your dainty toenails! After that, papa gets to be first in castrating the moron that hurt his precious Karin!"

A vein twitching in her forehead, Karin scowled even more before she bashed her father's head with her geta. "I. Do. Not. Have. Boy. Troubles!"

As Isshin fended off his daughter's attempts to maim him, a sleek black cat that was perched on a conveniently placed tree looked at him for a moment before it silently yet stealthily made its way out of the 14th.

…

…

…

"Hajime-san." Rukia said as politely as she could "Would you happen to know when nii-sama would be returning?" He had been glaring at her for sometime now, Rukia wanted him to be done with the scrutiny, talking to her brother was more important than pretending she cared for a conversation with Hajime.

Kuchiki Hajime sneered even more "Now why would I know? Does the head of the Kuchiki clan report his daily activities to me?"

Since the day she was brought to live in the Kuchiki manor after Hisana's death, the elder Hajime watched her like a hawk would a prey. As if he was convinced that she would fail in something and he wanted to be there to witness it. His son, Hajime the younger was no less different, although he was more vocal of his dislike. Rukia remembers all too well the incident where the stirrups of the horse she was riding in came off while in mid-gallop.

Byakuya reprimanded her for not being through in checking the stirrups, chalking it to another one of her clumsy moments.

As she grew older, Rukia realized that Hajime's vendetta was deep partly because her nii-sama made it known that she would be the one to take his position as Kuchiki head in the event of his death.

Resisting the urge to glare, Rukia stood up straight. "Very well, I shall be going then. Please convey my greetings to nii-sama and that I shall be returning tomorrow."

Giving her a look full of venom, Hajime stepped even closer to look down on Rukia. "I doubt that it is appropriate for you treat Kuchiki-sama with such a degree of familiarity… Kurosaki Rukia." He raised an eyebrow. "You have brought shame and disgrace upon the Kuchiki name by cavorting with Kurosaki Ichigo. Know that your actions will be paid for by the clan who so graciously took you in despite your low-rank. A crow cannot expect to flock amongst the swans of nobility, as your filthy roots will betray you in the end."

Rage that was blinding hot filled Rukia. All those times that she was taunted and treated like trash was nothing compared to Hajime's insinuation that the blood that flows in her was dirty… that she was dirty…

For a moment, Rukia wanted to draw Sode no Shirayuki and impale him with ice over and over again. But her zanpaktuō did not deserve to make contact with his impure flesh and even filthier blood.

"Whore." He spat out in disgust as he towered over Rukia.

"Step away from her now." Keigo thundered from the doorway. The normally happy-go-lucky shinigami's eyes were flashing with anger at the audacity of this man to address Rukia-san in such a manner. Grabbing tightly on his control, he strode into the room, heading straight for his taicho and friend's wife. "Rukia-san?" he asked her quietly, afraid to see tears in her eyes from the scathing insults.

To his surprise, only anger and determination was showing in her face. In his apparent self-confidence and gloating at the chance to pull her down again, Hajime completely missed the fact that if Rukia were not in control of her actions, he would have been a dead man. Keigo felt a rush of triumph at Rukia's pride and strength of character. Ichigo was lucky this one married him in the first place, he thought smugly.

Rukia took a deep breath, "I'm fine Keigo. We should go now, I'm sure Karin and Yuzu would be wondering why I'm not yet home."

Home. The thought nearly made her smile. She had a home out of this place. Undoubtedly she would miss Miyako and the rest of the staff, as well as her brother, but not stepping foot in the Kuchiki manor gave Rukia a certain degree of happiness.

Until her brother died (which Rukia did not believe would happen soon), she would remain in her home with the Kurosakis and their friends, not here. No big loss for her anyway. She was welcome to visit her brother and Renji at his office in the Court of Pure Souls anytime she wanted.

Rukia's lips curled into a satisfied smile. One that Hajime did not miss.

As the man turned red in the face at her supposed insolence, Rukia turned and walked to the door. She was going home.

…

…

…

"Are you sure she will be all right, Yoruichi-san?"

"Yoruichi-san? Since when have friends been so stiffly formal, Jyushiro?"

From over the rim of his teacup, Ukitake Jyushiro smiled softly. In order not to attract the attention of his over-concerned 'guards' that were lying in wait outside, they decided to talk as quietly as possible. Kotsubaki and Sentaro were good shinigami subordinates, but sometimes, they were a tad too clingy and eager to be of 'help.'

Yoruichi flicked back her tail. "She'll be fine, don't concern yourself too much. You need to heal."

"When will this occur?"

"Tonight."

Ukitake sighed. If he was well enough, he would have been able to give support to Rukia instead of letting other people look out for her welfare. As her taicho, it was his responsibility and duty to support her. Kuchiki Rukia was a talented shinigami and a kind woman at that. A far cry from the Kuchiki persona she carried gracefully, Ukitake knew that the woman she was underneath was simply what others did not expect.

There were a lot of things Ukitake blamed himself for. Rukia's sudden engagement to Aizen was one of these. It wasn't that he did not approve of his fellow taicho, but everything seemed to be rushed for Ukitake. Granted, the two had been within close contacts for many decades, but their interactions were of a professional nature. In fact, Rukia was all-too mindful of Aizen's rank and position to treat him with any degree of casual familiarity –she even called him Aizen taicho, not an indication of romantic affections at all. The sudden change of their relationship from mentor and student to would –be – lovers was too hurried. Even if he didn't know Aizen taicho that well, Ukitake would never have thought that the two were secretly carrying it on all these time.

If only Rukia had gotten to know Aizen better, maybe she would have figured out her true feelings for him, thereby avoiding this disaster she was in. The secretive Yoruichi was, as usual, hiding something from the bare sketch of the story that she gave him. There were too many details that were blurred and vague. The feelings of Ichigo taicho and Rukia for each other, in particular was still unaddressed. However, it was only polite not to pry, and Ukitake Jyushiro was anything but impolite.

"Don't blame yourself for this mess. You don't have the power to protect all of your subordinates from pain and failure. Even without your illness, it would be impossible for you."

Trust Yoruichi to get to the heart of the matter without coddling or berating him. Ukitake smiled, things never change even after all these years. "Can't I tell Shunsui about this?"

Yoruichi shook her head "The less people know about it, the better for Rukia."

Giving the other a seriously piercing gaze, Ukitake voiced the one question he had wanted to ask. "Will he take care of her? Will he be there for her?"

Chuckling, Yoruichi looked out the window. "He's Isshin's son. His stubbornness is ingrained since the day he was born. If he said he'll take care of her and protect her, believe him – his heart is in the right place."

"There is a difference between caring for her safety from caring for her heart."

Ah, thought Yoruichi, this is what you meant, eh? Trust Ukitake to ask such a question. No doubt, his natural empathy for his subordinates made him such an adored and revered man in Seiretei. "I know nothing about hearts, Jyu-kun. Let alone theirs."

"Fair enough." Came Ukitake's husky and quiet laughter. "But he IS Masaki's son, the capacity for loving whole-heartedly is ingrained in him as well."

"Then I say we watch what happens, because Byakuya's sister seems to be also capable of sacrificing everything for love."

With a brisk nod of farewell, Yoruichi climbed out of his window and darted into the dark night.

Ukitake Jyushiro sipped his tea calmly, carrying in his heart a fond wish of safety for his subordinate.

…

…

…

"Ichi-nii!" Yuzu sobbed as she tried to hug her brother from the gaps in the cell bars.

Fluffing his sister's hair playfully, Ichigo nodded "How are you doing eh, Yuzu? I suppose you're drowning everyone with food?"

Yuzu nodded, "I've been feeding everyone, Ichi-nii, Tatsuki bemoans gaining weight."

Beside her, Karin chuckled. "Yeah, but Keigo's looking slightly rounded from all of those sweets you've been giving him." She looked up at her brother "So, you bored here?"

"Are you kidding? I'm already talking to Ishida over there," he said in disgust, pointing to the direction of his fukutaicho who was busy trying to say no to Inoue offering him more of her 'dishes.' "The scary thing is that he's talking back."

From their vantage point, they could see Inoue passing Ishida several containers of her cooking sample, describing each dish by their color and ingredients. The Kurosaki siblings blanched as Inoue made mention a dish that combined takoyaki, chocolate, and wasabi. Ishida tried valiantly to protest, but in the end, Inoue fed him herself.

"When they said love was both blind and dumb, I didn't believe it at first." Karin said wryly as she saw Ishida's face turn green and then purple, "Until I saw those two."

Yuzu giggled "But its romantic! I mean what girl wouldn't be flattered if the guy she loves eats her cooking? I would be happy too."

Ichigo snorted "Yuzu, you're cooking doesn't require much prodding to eat. I doubt anyone would say no to the food you prepare. Her cooking on the other hand," he said pointedly "gives a new spin on the 'In Sickness and In Health, Till Death Do Us Part' thing."

"He is so whipped." Karin agreed.

"There is nothing wrong with that!" Isshin's booming voice came from nowhere.

"Great. Did you have to bring him?" Ichigo asked Karin balefully. His father's arrival would make this whole visit look like a scene from an asylum. If they wanted to execute him, they should do it now.

"My poor children, so ignorant about love!" Isshin bemoaned, "Did I not tell you all about what love is? Do I have to do it in detail?"

"NO!" his children cried out simultaneously. Each looking at their father in horror.

Isshin sighed. Well, it had been worth the shot. Seriously, he better give his girls The Talk soon. They were late by a good many years. He hopes it would turn out better than when Ichigo had to learn about the bees and the flowers thing. Now that was a disaster. "Well then, I think its time for you young ladies to head home. Let papa escort his precious girls!"

"But we just got here!" Yuzu cried out, tears forming in her eyes.

Oh dear. If there was anything that could bring a father down on his knees, it was a daughter's tears. "Oh but surely you don't want to deprive Ichigo the chance to talk with his wife, would you?"

At that, three heads looked up to the doorway, where Rukia stood quietly, holding a small bundle in her hands.

Yuzu brightened "Well, see you tomorrow Ichi-nii!" she chirped.

Karin grinned and nodded to her brother before she walked out with her father and sister.

Isshin winked at his son suggestively.

As for Rukia, she looked on, confusion written all over her face. "You're leaving?" she asked. "But why? And uh… what should I do with this thing?"

Smiling as he patted his daughter-in-law on the head, Issjin replied, "Keep that, it's yours. Open it later." He said as he handed her another bulky pack. He then looked at his daughters "Say goodnight to Rukia-chan girls and lets go home. Don't worry, they'll be safe, Keigo will pick them up later." He assured Ichigo.

"Oh so I'm staying here for a while too?" Inoue said excitedly "Wow, now I can feed Ishida more food, he looks so thin…"

The said thin fukutaicho made a gurgling sound as he sagged against the bars of his cell.

Quickly, Yuzu wrapped her arms around the petit shinigami as her twin nodded at her brother's wife in farewell. "Goodnight, Rukia-nee."

"I'll see you tomorrow." Rukia said fondly. To her surprise, Isshin stepped up and hugged her tight. "Uh… Isshin-san… father?"

"Oh! Rukia-chan called me father!" he crowed happily.

His son on the other hand, looked livid "Hey stop it – she can't breathe!"

Ignoring Ichigo's protests, Isshin continued to hug a shocked Rukia. "Take care of him." He said softly in her ear before he let go with a wink. "Ja ne!" he told his son with a wave before he led his daughters out."

There was silence for a while, and then Ichigo muttered, "What was that all about?"

…

…

…

Yoruichi dashed as fast as she could to the 10th division… it was going to start soon and they didn't have enough time to spare.

…

…

…

Avoiding Ichigo's eyes, Rukia blindly stuffed the bundle into the pack Isshin gave her. She wondered exactly what the pack was for. Did he think she'd spent the night here? What the hell would they talk about again? She really couldn't remember.

"Rukia." Ichigo said, ignoring the stares they were getting from Ishida and Inoue. What the hell was she doing by the door? After a while she was standing so still, he thought she grew roots. In his highly detailed and very suggestive messages, Keigo had been insisting over and over again that Rukia attempted to sneak out of the 14th to see him. Whatever for, wondered Ichigo. Was it important? He wanted to ask about it and to talk to her about the kind of relatives she was unfortunate to have. But that was next to impossible considering she didn't even act like he existed.

"Oi!" Ichigo's voice called out in annoyance "You're ignoring me."

_**Keep it, it's yours. Open it later."**_

Rukia was suspicious why Isshin said such a thing…

"Hey, you're still ignoring me!" Ichigo said angrily.

"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you." Ishida mocked him. "Not after you practically assaulted her last time."

"Oh!" Inoue gushed out in wonder "Are you going to assault her again, Kurosaki-kun?"

Ichigo turned red at the insinuation "Shut up, you two!"

"_**Say goodnight to Rukia-chan girls and let's go home."**_

Why was he especially keen on letting the girls say goodnight to her? What was going on? Rukia couldn't put a finger on it but everything seemed to be weird, like she was missing something important that was happening.

"Oi! Rukia!"

"_**Take care of him."**_

Why would Isshin say such cryptic words? How could Rukia take care of Ichigo here?

Rukia looked up to see Ichigo scowling at her. He looked like he didn't know… judging from Ishida and Inoue, neither of them seemed to know it too…

She opened her mouth to ask Ichigo – not about what he and her nii-sama talked about, but about something else… she wanted to ask if maybe… "Ichigo, did your father –

Suddenly there was a succession of explosions that were heard. It must have been huge, because from Ichigo's cell window, Rukia saw a bright light in the distance, probably near Rukongai.

"What the hell?" Cursed Ichigo, "What was that thing?"

From around them the bells rang and the sound of people mobilized into action was heard.

Ichigo turned to Rukia "Don't get out, whatever you do. Wait for Keigo to get here and keep your zanpaktuō ready at your side!" He wondered if this was an attack. Unfortunately, there were only a few taichos present and Ichigo doubted that Byakuya or Aizen would go in the 10th division holding cells to check on Rukia. Not when everyone knew that she was at the 14th. Besides, the priority was to secure Seiretei first. "Where are you going?" he barked at his wife who made a move to rush out.

"My division needs me. If this is an attack –

Screams of pain were heard outside. To Ichigo, it meant that someone was trying to get into the 10th – specifically in the holding cells. "Shit, Rukia, get me out of here! If whatever it is gets here, I have to fight it."

"You want me to break you out of prison?" she asked in aghast "Are you crazy?"

"I think the explosion was a distraction." Ishida said "Or it was part of this."

What was that explosion, really, and was it in any way connected to them?

Rukia stepped forward "Then let it come and I'll handle it." She said resolutely. As if sensing her determination, Inoue stepped forward as well and placed her hands on the hairpins she wore. "Hinagiku, Lily, Baigon; Santen Kesshun…"

To the surprise of the men, three small fairies appeared beside Inoue, waiting for her order.

"I'll watch your back, Rukia-san." She promised seriously.

"Whoa!" Ishida said, "What is that?"

But Ichigo was not in the mood to play twenty questions or any other trivial game to guess Inoue's abilities. "Rukia! Don't be stupid and get me out of here, you'll hurt yourself!"

Without another word, Rukia dropped her pack and unsheathed her zanpaktuō. Ignoring Ichigo's order to stand close to his cell and open the doors, she called out the release command "Mai. Sode no Shirayuki."

Once again, her pristine blade of purest white transfixed Ichigo, rendering him to say anything as of the moment. At the moment, she wasn't hearing Ichigo's rants, focused as she was at whatever threat that was ahead. Of course, Isshin's weird behavior was also a factor in why she was ignoring her husband.

"_**Ja ne!" **_

No! She thought in a hurry. There was no way it was possible…

To her surprise, Yoruichi's form stood in front of them. The cat looked smug at something.

"Oh boy, don't tell me…" murmured Rukia.

"Lets get you out of there, Ichigo, Ishida." Yoruichi said, chuckling.

**C.LeShay's corner:**

Gyah. Now comes the hard work for me. I'm running into a bit of a roadblock for the future chapters, as the plot bunnies are eluding me. Reviews will be greatly appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13

**Heart's Desire Chapter 13**

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: T

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know. The kidō spells used here are courtesy of wikipedia, and I don't even own an account there. If there are certain information that is wrong, please let me know and I'll try to change it (when I'm not busy wrestling these plot bunnies you all so generously sent me. Seriously people, my room is full of them and they haven't even bred yet. Now my problem is keeping them in line.) soon.

I had to write this chapter while still in the mood. Believe me, I never once left the PC until I finished this baby. And it left me drained, I tell you! So bear with me, okay?

I also took liberty with Rukia's skills in kidō as well as with wielding Sode no Shirayuki in order for me to fit it in my planned plot. I tried to keep it as minor as possible. However, that tidbit makes this chapter OoC – to an extent. Some of the details I took from Kubo's flashback chapters in the manga.

As for the fight 'scenes' I am very sorry, I'm not a _shounen_ writer (snickers) and I was never good in portraying bloodbath and fights in my writing. I apologize in advance if you feel that it lacked a certain intense feel or punch. Again, please bear with me.

This is the part where I'm veering far from the mangaverse of Bleach. You have been warned.

Okay, so it's now July 15 here where I come from so… Happy Brthday Ichigo-kun!

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

**_Screams of pain were heard outside. To Ichigo, it meant that someone was trying to get into the 10th – specifically in the holding cells. "Shit, Rukia, get me out of here! If whatever it is gets here, I have to fight it."_**

_"**You want me to break you out of prison?" she asked in aghast "Are you crazy?"**_

_"**I think the explosion was a distraction." Ishida said "Or it was part of this."**_

**_What was that explosion, really, and was it in any way connected to them?_**

**_Rukia stepped forward "Then let it come and I'll handle it." She said resolutely. As if sensing her determination, Inoue stepped forward as well and placed her hands on the hairpins she wore. "Hinagiku, Lily, Baigon; Santen Kesshun…"_**

**_To the surprise of the men, three small fairies appeared beside Inoue, waiting for her order._**

_"**I'll watch your back, Rukia-san." She promised seriously.**_

_"**Whoa!" Ishida said, "What is that?"**_

**_But Ichigo was not in the mood to play twenty questions or any other trivial game to guess Inoue's abilities. "Rukia! Don't be stupid and get me out of here, you'll hurt yourself!"_**

**_Without another word, Rukia dropped her pack and unsheathed her zanpaktuô. Ignoring Ichigo's order to stand close to his cell and open the doors, she called out the release command "Mai. Sode no Shirayuki."_**

**_Once again, her pristine blade of purest white transfixed Ichigo, rendering him to say anything as of the moment. At the moment, she wasn't hearing Ichigo's rants, focused as she was at whatever threat that was ahead. Of course, Isshin's weird behavior was also a factor in why she was ignoring her husband._**

"Ja ne!"

_**No! She thought in a hurry. There was no way it was possible…**_

_**To her surprise, Yoruichi's form stood in front of them. The cat looked smug at something.**_

"_**Oh boy, don't tell me…" murmured Rukia.**_

"_**Lets get you out of there, Ichigo, Ishida." Yoruichi said, chuckling.**_

…

…

…

"This by far takes the cake! Are you all crazy?" Rukia cried out as they made a dash away from the 10th division and the commotion. "If we get caught, Ichigo's going to be in trouble – far bigger trouble than he already is!"

"Which is why you should shut up and hurry instead." Yoruichi snarled, leading the group to another location while avoiding any shinigami that lurked nearby.

Ichigo glared at Rukia for talking. He tugged at the cloak to make sure its hood didn't fall off and expose his shocking orange hair. "Man, these cloaks are really something!"

"I didn't think it was possible for something that masks reiatsu to exist." Ishida mused. He was bringing up the rear, carrying Inoue (as she was unable to match their movements in speed) as they made a dash to Rukongai using hirenkyaku and shunpo.

Inoue sighed, "I wish you made them come in another color other than brown, Rukia-san."

"For goodness' sake Inoue," mumbled Rukia in exasperation, as she threw her friend a withering glance "How many times do I have to tell you, I didn't make it! I only found it in my pack!"

"Will you all shut up?" Ordered Yoruichi, "We won't make it out of here unless we pass through the divisions unseen."

The group pushed on furiously, in an attempt to get as far away from Seiretei as they could. Though no one was voicing it, the impending disaster awaiting them, should they be caught was weighing heavily on their minds. Right now, most of the shinigamis were at the site of the explosion – as well as the few taichos present. However, that did not mean that they were completely safe. If anything, Ichigo did not let go of his zanpaktuô, just in case he needed to use it.

As they passed through the gates of Seiretei and into the forest along the Eastern side, Rukia looked back helplessly at the receding white walls. She was leaving Seiretei. She was going into self-imposed exile somewhere. Never in her wildest dreams did she think this would happen. It was not her intention to bring down another wave of embarrassment to the few people she cared for. In instinct, she fingered the silver bracelet with the crystal charm that adorned her left wrist. It was a gift from Yuzu and Karin to her on the day she married their brother.

"Ukitake will be fine." Ichigo assured her, as if reading her thoughts. "He'll be the last person to be suspected. Well, it MIGHT reflect a bit on him, considering his fukutaicho disappeared in a slightly similar fashion previously." He said wryly and with ill-humor, unaware of the dark look that passed on Rukia's face for a moment. "Don't worry about Byakuya as well – he'll be fine too. He's too much of a starched haori to feel remorse that you left."

Again, Rukia felt the insane urge to hit Ichigo. The crass and tactless idiot was only making it worse.

"I'm sure in his own way, he'll wish for your safety – like Ukitake taicho." Ichigo added seriously, vaguely looking at her before he focused on the trees ahead. "If he comes after you, I don't think he really wants it to be that way. But if he does anything funny, he'll have to get to me first." He promised.

Rukia resisted the urge to either kick him or kiss him. It was really a wonder how he could inspire her to feel conflicting emotions. "I was more worried about Karin and Yuzu." She said instead.

"They'll be okay, pops is with them." He said confidently, although there was a look of worry on his face. "Don't feel bad about this."

Wordlessly, Rukia nodded, picking up her face to keep up with Ichigo's speed the best she could.

"We're almost there, we better hurry before the dimensional gate activates again." Yoruichi said, making everyone tense in anticipation.

Dimension gate? Did that mean they were going to the living world? Come to think of it, thought Rukia, it made sense. There was no way they wouldn't be found in Soul Society, not with Ichigo's reiatsu lighting up under the radar ever so often. Her thoughts were interrupted as they reached the clearing.

There, in the middle stood a large, makeshift square of white bricks, layered on top of each other – a crude substitute for the spirit gate that shinigami use ever so often.

"Ishida." Yoruichi ordered, "place your reiatsu in it so you can control it as we pass through. Hurry it up before it activates while we're not ready." As the fukutaicho did so, Yoruichi turned to the others. "We can only pass through this in 4 minutes." She said as she watched Ishida place the contraptions Urahara gave her. "If we don't make it out in time, its game over. We're going to be stuck in between both worlds."

Inoue nodded nervously, "I got it." She said as Rukia nodded her assent.

"I have more reiatsu," Ichigo said, "Let me do it, so we can pass in our own pace."

"You can't control it properly." Snapped Yoruichi, as she made sure to take not of the surroundings. "If you make even a small mistake in configuring it, we're all going to die the moment we step in."

"Give me five minutes and we'll be all set." Ishida said, focusing on his task.

Suddenly, Yoruichi looked up. "Someone's coming…"

"Aizen taicho!" cried Rukia as she whipped out Sode no Shirayuki. There was no mistaking that reiatsu signature.

"Blast!" cursed Ichigo, swinging Zangetsu into defensive position as his muscles tensed in anticipation of a fight.

In a split second, Aizen Sousuke, taicho of the 5th division landed in front of them courtesy of shunpo, zanpaktuô held at the ready.

"Kurosaki taicho." He said in a deathly calm voice, taking a step towards the group. "I will not let you escape your punishment."

Before anyone could say anything, Ichigo was gone from his spot, and he was now a big blur, jumping in front of Aizen, Zangetsu lashing out to cut him.

"Ichigo!" shouted Rukia.

…

…

…

Hitsugaya taicho looked intently at the rubble of the first explosion. The fire that followed it was fortunately put out immediately, and the other taichos hurried off to the sight of the next blast that occurred only a few minutes later.

It was lucky enough that the blast occurred a few meters away from the district where souls resided in. Not many buildings were destroyed.

Matsumoto appeared via shunpo beside him. "Taciho, the same thing occurred in the South Western districts. Kuchiki taicho is at the North West side and he is currently following the trail of the explosion and fire."

"Casualties?"

"No fatalities taicho, but there were a lot injured. Nothing severe though."

Hitsugaya frowned in thought. Something was terribly wrong here. Unfortunately, he couldn't put a finger on it, but he could feel the thought nagging at him persistently.

"Taicho?" Matsumoto said, catching his attention once more "Soi Fon taicho is busy questioning the last people seen here. Ukitake taicho's 3rd seats are taking care of the wounded and bringing them to the 4th division. Abarai fukutaicho went to Hueco Mundo to get help from Unohana taicho or Kotetsu fukutaicho." She paused "Hinamori fukutaicho is assisting with the evacuation of the districts that were caught in the blast."

"And what about Aizen taicho?"

"Eh?" Matsumoto frowned in confusion "He's not here? But he wasn't with Kuchiki taicho either."

Just then, Hinamori Momo, the 5th division fukutaicho appeared behind them. "Shiro-kun, have you seen Aizen taicho?"

"Its Hitsugaya taicho, Hinamori fukutaicho." Hitsugaya gritted out in frustration, ignoring the suppressed giggles that was coming from his amused fukutaicho. "Matsumoto!" he barked out, turning back on his heel in a snap "Lets go back to the division."

"Eh?" Matsumoto wanted to ask why, but the look she saw on her taicho's face was enough to tell her just how serious he was. "Hai, taicho."

"Hinamori fukutaicho." Hitsugaya ordered, "Check the Eastern and Southern sides of Rukongai. It seems highly suspicious that nothing is happening on that side. Bring a few shinigami with you."

…

…

…

Two swords clashed, sending sparks off into the dark night.

"I will not allow you to leave, Kurosaki taicho." Aizen said as he blocked another swipe from Ichigo. "You have to take responsibility for whatever mess and disorder you caused Seiretei."

"Che! Shut up bastard, this ends now!"

For those completely unused to high-level fighting, the two combatants would only seem to be like shadows darting through and fro. But for Rukia, who was a capable shinigami, she could follow the movements of Aizen and Ichigo – to an extent.

"Ishida, is it ready yet?" Rukia called out to the fukutaicho "Hurry it up!"

"Give me a minute more!" Ishida called out before muttering that since Rukia was a proclaimed expert on kidô, she should help him as well.

Suddenly, Rukia felt Aizen expand his reiatsu. It surely meant that in a while, shinigamis would be getting a reading on their location. "Oh damn it!"

Aizen slashed and blocked. Despite the fact that Kurosaki Ichigo was definitely one of the strongest taichos, he was still able to keep up and even drive the other back several times. "Leave Rukia-san here and I will let you go free." He told the other man as their zanpaktuô's clashed and met with a sharp clang, glinting blades gripping at each other, hissing an unspoken promise of death and mayhem. "I will not pursue you if you leave her here."

"Not a chance in hell!" snarled Ichigo as he pushed the other taicho aside furiously with a barrage of slashes, his attacks increasing in ferocity the second the proposal was offered.

"This is a opportunity I'm giving you, Kurosaki taicho." Aizen insisted, as he sidestepped a swipe made by Ichigo but not before blocking a quick blow to his back. "Take it before the offer expires. This is the wisest course of action to avoid unnecessary bloodshed."

Ichigo glared as he prodded and slashed through Aizen's haori, nearly slicing the man's arm off. "Old man, you can't seriously think that I'll accept that offer, do you? Like I'm leaving her in your murdering hands!" With that he jumped back and gathered reiatsu to his zanpaktuô before shouting "Getsuga Tenshou!"

This allowed him to send off a flare of reiatsu hurtling towards the taicho of the fifth division.

"Don't be an idiot, Ichigo!" Shouted Yoruichi, knowing that by this time, the other taichos would know of what was happening. This was turning into something she dreaded to happen. "Do you want us to be found?"

Aizen simply used shunpo to avoid the blast. His impressive speed keeping up well with Ichigo's extraordinary one. With his movements both nimble and agile, this allowed him to counter attack, sending the younger taicho a successive number of blows, all rapid and strong – until both were once more locked in a close-proximity battle. Aizen then leaned in, so that his faced was as close to their zanpaktuôs as possible "Did you realize that by leaving with you, Rukia would be branded as a deserter?" he asked simply, yet quietly so that the conversation would only be between the two of them. "That Seiretei will hunt her without fail; and when they catch her she will be humiliated beyond belief - possibly given a severe punishment?"

For a moment, Ichigo's eyes went to Rukia who was standing a short distance behind them, her zanpaktuô held alight and her eyes tracking their movements as best as she could. Unable to give an answer straight away, Ichigo opted to swing Zangetsu instead, attempting to lob Aizen's head off his shoulders but missed.

As the two fought on, Inoue looked at her friend "Don't worry Rukia-chan, Kurosaki-kun has the advantage. Aizen taicho can't seem to use kidō because he's too focused on blocking the zanpaktuô."

"No he doesn't," muttered Yoruichi grimly. "He's an idiot to underestimate Aizen. He's at par with the head of the kidō corps. Close combat is no problem for him. Besides, he didn't become a taicho on his kidō skills alone. Despite his meek demeanor, he's among the few who mastered almost all kinds of shinigami combat." Seeing the worried yet transfixed look in Rukia's eyes, she added "Rukia knows this herself."

True enough, Aizen's sword fighting techniques seemed to be as good as Ichigo's. In fact, it was polished and more minimal in movement, compared to his opponent. He acted as though he knew or at least anticipated Ichigo's attacks.

Rukia mentally shook her head as she held the hilt of Sode no Shirayuki tightly. She never had the privilege of seeing her mentor fight this way with her. Her somewhat low level skills in swordfight and hand combat were not enough for him to fight all-out. Aizen taicho's zanpaktuô, Kyōka Suigetsu had a monstrous ability – one that often left her at an unfair disadvantage all the time. She knew that Ichigo was aware of it – that the moment Aizen used the absolute hypnosis, the tide would turn in his favor. Torn, she stood there stoically, trying to make up her mind on a course of action.

There was no doubt she wanted to help Ichigo, but was she willing to raise her zanpaktuō against Aizen, her mentor and friend? If she were, would she be capable enough to go against the man who taught her most of her knowledge in kidō and combat?

"If you will not take the offer, I'm afraid, I have to do away with you myself, Kurosaki taicho." Aizen said quietly, in a far chilling voice that Ichigo never heard him use before.

"Damn, we don't have time for this." Muttered Yoruichi. "Inoue," she barked out, "Give me your cloak now." Immediately, Yoruichi transformed back into her original form.

"You're really a… woman!" gasped Rukia as Yoruichi made a grab for Inoue's cloak, wrapping it around her long-limbed, naked form.

"Oh wow, is that possible?" Inoue asked as she saw the woman jump gracefully between the two, negating their movements with something that vaguely looked like kidō coming from her hands. It was the reverse demon, a hand combat technique that was rumored to be difficult to master.

Smirking, Yoruichi threw Aizen a smouldering glare as she raised an eyebrow at him. "Long time no see, Aizen. I see you've taken up cradle-snatching after a hundred years."

Jumping backwards slightly to avoid the hands of the former Taicho of the second division, Aizen inclined his head in deference to her acknowledgment. "You make it sound like I've done far more worse than you… you who deserted Seiretei, Shihouin Yoruichi."

"I would really love to have a long chat with you, Aizen." Drawled Yoruichi as she extended her right arm, building up reiatsu there, preparing to use shunko "But we're slightly behind schedule. Can I take a raincheck?"

"Step aside Yoruichi and let me kill the bastard!" Shouted Ichigo in annoyance. "Let me at him and I'll make sure this ends right here!"

"We have no time for this!"

Fortunately, he was still wearing his cloak, or else the entire population in Seiretei would have felt his reiatsu. Still, the blast that he sent to Aizen earlier was something that everyone would notice. It wouldn't be long before the other taichos would get to them, making them unable to escape. The stupid Ichigo rushed headlong into danger once again!

"Sōren Sōkatsui!" A cry was heard as two shots of burning blue fire crashed in the middle of the squabbling trio.

All three turned to see Rukia standing behind them.

"It's done!" Ishida shouted, "We better hurry, I'm sensing reiatsu headed this way!"

"Rukia! Get out of here now! Ishida, take her to the gate!" Ordered Ichigo as she pushed Yoruichi aside to get to Aizen.

"NO!" screamed Rukia as Ishida dashed to grab her and Inoue's arms.

Suddenly, Aizen disappeared from their midst. Yoruichi spun around to follow, but was preoccupied with several kidō blasts sent her way.

"SHIT!" Ichigo cursed, "Ishida – hurry it up and get Rukia out of here!"

Before he could even use hirenkyaku, Aizen was already in front of them. In a blink, Aizen and Rukia disappeared; and Ishida fell to the ground with a large gash on his right shoulder.

"Ishida-kun!" Inoue cried, falling in front of the fukutaicho. "Ayame, Shun'o! Soten Kisshun… I reject!"

Ichigo turned around to see Aizen reappearing with Rukia held close against him. "Bastard." He snarled, as he used shunpo to close the distance.

"Inoue!" barked Yoruichi as she continued to dodge more kidō blasts that Aizen was sending from different directions, "Take Ishida and pass through the gate now. We'll catch up with you as soon as we can." Strange, she thought, considering Aizen's high-level skills, this attack was not nearly as strong as she expected.

Aizen was toying with them, which was so unlike him.

"But, what about Rukia-san…

"I'll bring them over, I promise. We need to get Ishida across while there's still time. Ishida's pretty much winded, you need all the head start you can get. Make him use hirenkyaku."

Understanding the need for haste, Inoue nodded resolutely before she took hold of Ishida and pulled him in through the gate as fast as she could.

In horror, Rukia knew that this time, Aizen used the special ability of his zanpaktuô, and they were all under its illusionary spell. "No, Ichigo!" she warned, but it was too late. The next thing she saw was Ichigo lying on the floor, bleeding from a particularly deep cut. "Ichigo!"

The crumpled figure on the dirt slowly moved, "Heh!" Ichigo said in a winded tone "That was nothing, Aizen."

"Perhaps I should cut you once again, Kurosaki taicho?" Aizen suggested in an unnervingly calm manner that sent chills up Rukia's spine. Was this man really Aizen taicho? "Should I severe you in two? But Rukia-san may not appreciate the mess."

"Give it your best shot, asshole." Ichigo gritted out as he attempted to stand up.

Yoruichi was immediately at his side "You idiot, you're in no condition to fight. Let me –

Impatiently, Ichigo waved his hand in dismissal. "This is nothing, Yoruichi. I've been in much worse scrapes." He turned flinty eyes at Aizen "You better be ready bastard, because I'm going to cut your arm off for touching my wife like that."

Rukia felt her breath hitch up in her throat. Ichigo was hurt… Ichigo was hurt. Why was she just standing like a useless lump? She was the one closest to Aizen. Why couldn't she lift her zanpaktuô to hit him and be done with?

Why was her body not moving?

_Fear._ A voice not her own spoke in her mind. _You are being held paralyzed by your own fear. Did you not remember how to wield me, Rukia?_ The voice was soothing and comforting but was still very much disapproving.

Sode no Shirayuki. Rukia gasped mentally. She could hear her, her zanpaktuō… where was she? Summoning her was something Rukia had never done before.

_You've always heard me before, Rukia. Did you forget? Everytime you were under his illusion, I was always there behind you._

Of course! Rukia realized belatedly that Shirayuki's presence was always a comfort for her when she trained and went under Aizen taicho's illusions. It was a vague feeling, but Aizen himself commented that she was exceptionally stubborn against his illusionary suggestions when they were sparring.

_Then listen to me if you want to save your husband's life._ Shirayuki persisted against the haze clouding Rukia's senses. _Listen to me and you will not make a mistake in a real duel against him – not like the last time_

Last time? Rukia wondered in confusion. When did that happen? She never remembered fighting against Aizen's illusions outside training… But she had no time to rethink about the past. Ichigo and the others needed her. Soon, nii-sama would be here, and he was not someone she wanted to face this time. What do I do?

_Use me to freeze the ground._

What? But that would get everyone in the crossfire!

_A light touch will do, trust me!_

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

…

…

…

"What the hell happened here?" Thundered Hitsugaya. The moment he got back to his division, the first thing he did was to dash to the holding cells and check into Kurosaki Ichigo. The first thing he saw was his men lying bruised and unconscious… and the cells blasted away by something.

"Taicho…"

"Matsumoto, send shinigami to the 14th! I want it combed thoroughly." He barked out "Also, send people to the 13th and 6th. Particularly the Kuchiki manor – I want it searched!"

"Hai, taicho!"

Both looked up when they felt a familiar reiatsu…

"That was… Kurosaki taicho, wasn't it?" Matsumoto asked her frowning taicho.

"And Aizen taicho. Oh damn, now we're in trouble."

…

…

…

From his quarters in his division, Ukitake Jyushiro stood up to look out of his window. It was only a matter of time before he would; predictably, sense the reiatsus of Kurosaki and Aizen taicho. He figured that Aizen would be heading off to the 10th division when the explosions occurred.

The fact that they encountered each other outside the walls of Seiretei was a good sign. At least there would be a window of opportunity the group could pass through before the net closed up on them.

He was about to go back to his bed with a sigh when he felt another reiatsu. It was faint – something that could easily be missed when it was compared with the high levels of the two taichos. But Ukitake could not miss it, not when he knew whose reiatsu it was.

Rukia's.

Damn it, Yoruichi said that Ichigo would take care of her. Then why was she fighting? If it was against Aizen, she had no chance of winning.

His body shaking from over-exerting itself, Ukitake staggered as he reached his bed. Carefully, he calmed himself before taking his zanpaktuô and made his way to the door. He may be sick and weak, but he was still able to talk. Perhaps diplomacy could stop any impending disaster.

Ukitake already lost subordinates because of his unfortunate health, and his interferences only failed to help them; but he would be damned before he let anything happen to Rukia without him trying to something.

A taicho was always looking out for his subordinates. Always.

…

…

…

For the first time in her life, Rukia had never seen such a wide expanse of ice from Shirayuki. It was as if the grounds turned into a large, frozen lake – pristine white and glittery.

Unbelievable.

_Now wrench yourself from Aizen with a kidō spell while I hold him and his zanpaktuô._

But it wasn't enough to defeat him! Rukia thought in panic, even as her hands made the motions of a spell. "Raikōhō!"

_Defeat him? It's far too early for you to do that, Rukia. All you need is to distract him while the others get to safety._

True to Shirayuki's words, Yoruichi broke free from the ice and grabbed Ichigo just as the kidō hit Aizen head on, making him lose his hold on her wrist.

The two women used shunpo and they were in front of the gate, with Rukia panting from her exertions.

"Rukia…" Ichigo called out, grimacing from the pain. "Are you alright?"

"Idiot. I'm fine." She retorted dryly. "You deserve that wound, asshole."

Yoruichi chuckled. "My, my, I didn't know how handy your wife could be in a bind." She taunted Ichigo whom she tried to hoist over her shoulders. However, as Ichigo was taller, he was instead leaning against the older woman.

"Whatever." Mumbled Ichigo, "I'm fine, Yoruichi, let me up." Suddenly he paused, "Yoruichi!" he roared, "You're not wearing anything under that cloak!"

Chuckling, Yoruichi teased Ichigo "What? And you're not happy about it?"

"Augh! NO!"

"Easy on it, too much excitement can make your wounds become much worse."

"YORUICHI!"

"Quiet, boy." She snapped as she thrust her hand into his wound, injecting just enough amounts of drugs into his bloodstream to render him temporarily unable to move. "Rukia; any other distractions you can whip up? Do it now."

Rukia stood up and pointed Shirayuki's blade to the ground. "Tsugi no mai, hakuren!"

To her horror, Aizen used his zanpaktuô to block it.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro! Raikōhō!"

Aizen deflected it with a similar spell. Then he focused on his feet and melted the ice that encased his legs.

"Yoruichi! Get Ichigo out of here, please; I have to distract him!"

Ichigo suddenly reared up, his anger making him moderately successful against the drugs "The hell you won't!"

Looking at the nearing figure of Aizen and then at Rukia "Yoruichi nodded. "I'll throw him across the gate, but I'm grabbing you afterwards. We need to make it before the gate closes or we're trapped. How good is your shunpo?"

"Enough, but nothing brilliant."

"Well, now's the best way you can improve."

Not sure if it was a joke or a serious statement, Rukia decided to stop the conversation and get into the action already. "Sōren Sōkatsui!"

With that, Yoruichi used shunpo to pass down through the gate and throw Ichigo as far as she could before she spun back to get Rukia. They only had 2 minutes left.

"Rukia-san… Please stop this." Aizen said amidst a barrage of kidō spells that was thrown his way.

"Haien! Shakahō!"

"Please, Rukia. This is not in any way going to help Kurosaki taicho, and you know that."

"Sōkatsui! Byakurai!"

"You're wasting your energy, Rukia."

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro! Byakurai!"

Aizen stepped even closer. "Please stop before you hurt yourself. We both know that you cannot push me back with kidō." He said matter-of-factly as he used a spell to easily dissolve the ice that once more encased him, as if it was nothing more than an annoying fly.

"Sōren Sōkatsui! Kidōhō!"

By now, she was almost within Aizen's reach. This was bad. Rukia knew that even if she tried to repel him back, he would follow them through the gate. The only way she could get him off their backs was if she used a forbidden destructive spell to hurt him. Her reiatu reserves were almost depleted, plus the fact that she bypassed the incantations and combined them made it even more difficult for her to do a destructive spell.

But Rukia was trained to do complex spells, going as far as being an expert in combining two different ones at the same time.

Could she do it then? Without second thoughts, she channeled her remaining reiatsu, mentally saying the required chant as fast as she could. There were no second thoughts if this would work or not. She must not hesitate or the spell would fail.

It was time to go for broke.

"Rukia!" Yoruichi called as she appeared somewhere behind her in a blur as Aizen reached out to take hold of her arm.

"Hadou no Kyuujuu... Kurohitsugi!" she shouted as she jumped back as far as she could.

Even Yoruichi was caught by surprise as a black coffin fell from the sky, hitting Aizen, before a barrage of spears pierced it.

With a cry of despair, Rukia collapsed into Yoruichi's arms.

Taking advantage of the situation, Yoruichi immediately dashed back into the gate with Rukia's unconscious form in an impressive burst of shunpo, hoping that they would make it in time.

…

…

…

Hinamori Momo ran as fast as her shunpo could go. Aizen taicho was fighting, she had to reach her taicho and protect him at all costs.

Not caring that she left the other shinigami behind, she moved on, trying to reach the clearing before her taicho could get hurt. She recognized his reiatsu as well as Kurosaki Ichigo taicho's, plus there was the disconcerting feeling that Rukia-san's reiatsu also joined in the fray.

"Please be alright, Aizen taicho!" she muttered to herself over and over again like a mantra. The division needed their taicho, surely nothing wrong would happen to him, right? He was strong and powerful, he would be able to match Kurosaki taicho!

Ahead, she felt the reiatsu of Kuchiki taicho. All was well! Kuchiki taicho would help Aizen taicho, would he not? Even Soi Fon taicho arrived – everything would be alright! She forced herself to believe it even as she felt an incredible burst of reiatsu from Aizen taicho. He had to be fine!

As she reached the clearing, Hinamori stopped immediately. "Kurosaki taicho… Soi Fon taicho…"

Something was wrong. Hinamori could tell. The way the two taichos were not looking at her was an indication already. Another was that there was no trace of reiatsu anywhere. In her musings, she failed to realize that fact immediately.

Bodies…there were no bodies of Kuroaski taicho or anyone… what was going on?

From the other side, Ukitake taicho arrived, pale faced and sweating from the effort. "What's… going… on… here?" he asked in between breaths.

Slowly, Kuchiki taicho moved aside to show Soi Fon taicho leaning over something… someone…

"Aizen taicho!" Hinamori cried out as she ran to her taicho. "Aizen taicho!" she cried, attempting to use all of her knowledge in kidō to heal the cuts all over him. To her surprise, he was not responding.

The other taichos quietly looked away as more and more shinigami, including Hitsugaya taicho, arrived.

Hinamori felt tears leak from her eyes. "Aizen taicho…" she murmured shakily, as she slowly slumped beside the immobile figure lying on the dirt. Wordlessly, she grabbed hold of Aizen's hand where a sparkling object caught her eye.

"Aizen taicho!" She cried out.

Aizen Sousuke, taicho of the 5th division, one of the most prolific kidō users in Soul Society lay there lifeless. In his right hand, grasped in between bloodied, cold fingers was a slender circle of silver with a small crystal charm dangling from it.

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's Corner:**

I know! I know; you're all going to react about that scene wouldn't you? I can already hear the questions forming inside your heads. Heck, I even know what you're going to ask.

I make no apologies and will give no explanations. It might give away future chapters, so lets not spoil your appetites okay, kiddies?

Again, please review.


	14. Chapter 14

**Heart's Desire Chapter 14**

**By C. LeShay**

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: Still a T until further notice!

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! Kubo-sensei still owns it. I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know.

Summary: On the run from Seiretei, Ichigo, Rukia, Inoue, and Ishida arrive at Karakura to meet Urahara Kisuke and attempt to live like humans.

Yosh! Ichigo and the others are now in Karakura! The second arc begins!

Oh, there's a saying here I took from a book/movie – I don't own either. Besides, it's been used so many times already. This chapter is also one of the longest I have ever written.

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…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

_Slowly, Kuchiki taicho moved aside to show Soi Fon taicho leaning over something… someone…_

"_Aizen taicho!" Hinamori cried out as she ran to her taicho. "Aizen taicho!" she cried, attempting to use all of her knowledge in kidō to heal the cuts all over him. To her surprise, he was not responding._

_The other taichos quietly looked away as more and more shinigami, including Hitsugaya taicho, arrived._

_Hinamori felt tears leak from her eyes. "Aizen taicho…" she murmured shakily, as she slowly slumped beside the immobile figure lying on the dirt. Wordlessly, she grabbed hold of Aizen's hand where a sparkling object caught her eye._

"_Aizen taicho!" She cried out._

_Aizen Sousuke, taicho of the 5__th__ division, one of the most prolific kidō users in Soul Society lay there lifeless. In his right hand, grasped in between bloodied, cold fingers was a slender circle of silver with a small crystal charm dangling from it._

…

…

…

The fall should have killed him… or at least broken more than half of his skeletal frame. It was only surprising that he was alive and in no worse than what he was after Aizen almost gutted him. Maybe he really was dead, and this was all just a nasty dream before his reiraku gets sucked into Seiretei's pristine walls and buildings.

Do reiraku's currently absorbed by Seiretei have dreams?

"Wow, I didn't believe that you had the capability to fight the drugs you had in your blood." Yoruichi's husky, cat-voice purred in amusement.

Ichigo opened his eyes and saw Yoruichi grinning like she got the canary AND the goldfish. Behind her, Ishida and Inoue were looking at him curiously, their faces slightly red.

"What?" he all but snapped irritated at the fact that he almost had Aizen in his grasp but lost the opportunity to kill him.

"Kurosaki-kun." Urahara's saccharine and sickeningly enthusiastic voice was heard "I won't be able to treat you or Kuchiki-san…errr… Kurosaki-san if you insist on hugging her THAT tight."

Finally looking down, Ichigo was surprised at the bundle of limbs that was pressed so intimately against him.

His face flamed red.

(flashback)

_"Ichigo, run!" ordered Yoruichi, as she carried the unconscious form of Rukia. She wondered just how it would be possible for her to carry two people at the same time, but Ichigo was surprisingly able to recover. He was now standing as he made his way to Rukia. "Idiot!" she berated him "Run along instead of heading back here!"_

_But as if he never heard her, Ichigo asked worriedly "What happened to her?" as he took stock of the fact that she was wearing a white kimono underneath the cloak, he realized that Rukia was drained of her reiatsu._

_Wresting her from Yoruichi's grip, he set her tightly against him "Rukia?"_

"_No time to act like a prince charming, we gotta run you know." Scolded Yoruichi as she gave him a particularly hard shove. This was not the moment to argue, but if she saw any sign of weakening in Ichigo, she would have to knock him unconscious again. The bullheaded taicho was starting to annoy her. Why couldn't he be more reasonable like Masaki? "Come on, one minute to go." She reminded him._

_Nodding, Ichigo held Rukia before he dashed away via shunpo._

(End flashback)

In hindsight, Ichigo remembered that he was unable to ask Yoruichi what it was that happened to them back in Soul Society. He would have asked her about it again; if not for the fact that he still had Rukia in his arms. "Um… oh…. so…." He said, unable to form any coherent words.

What was equally surprising was that they were riding a large carpet – flying over the living world.

"You're supposed to let her go now, Kurosaki-kun." Urahara said, grinning madly. "We can save the friskiness for later." "Bastard." Ichigo cursed loudly as he laid Rukia on the carpet. "Is she going to be okay?" Urahara used his reiatsu to probe Rukia's soul, to see if there were any serious injuries. "No lasting damage, but her reiatsu was almost completely drained. Whatever did she do to end up like this?" Yoruichi sauntered over silently. "Would you believe if I told you she was using combinations of high level and mid level kidō without using the incantations?"

"I suppose she used it with her zanpaktuô, right?"

"She's good, I'll give you that. But what got her was the black coffin spell."

Urahara only raised a sardonic brow to show his surprise but said nothing, preferring to watch as Ichigo visibly cringed "She has to have a gigai and quick. Fortunately due to Yoruichi's data, I was able to make the necessary gigai ahead of time. For all of you." Smiling, he leered at his godson "Don't worry about her, she's gonna be strong enough for … ahem, very strenuous activities. Just make sure she gets some rest first, or she won't be as limber as you prefer."

Face red, Ichigo punched Urahara right on the nose.

…

…

…

If not for the fact that he knew the man in front of him built it, Ichigo never would have believed that he was in the home of Gotei 14's most notorious genius.

The Urahara shoten was fairly large, but it was in such a worn condition that it would never be suspected of being a hideout of a shinigami on the run. The walls and floors were traditional, and the furniture was shabby. There was no infliction of otherworldly tastes that Urahara Kisuke was known for – only a variety of knick-knacks found only from the perplexing world of the living.

Ichigo clenched his hands, trying to get the feel of being stuffed in a gigai. Beside him, Ishida, Inoue, and Rukia (who just woke up) were doing the same thing. If they were to hide from Soul Society, they had to mask their reiatsu completely.

"I don't feel comfortable in this thing." Rukia said, speaking up at last, after she had been properly introduced to her husband's godfather. "How long does it take before I get used to being in a gigai?"

Smiling jovially as much as he could from underneath the bucket hat, Urahara waved his fan in front of Rukia "Why Kurosaki-san, that depends on you! It can be as early as a few hours to several years!"

"WHAT?" the four cried out at the same time.

Ichigo immediately grabbed Urahara's kimono "What the hell are you doing, geta-boshi? If this is another one of your tricks -"

"Relax!" Urahara appeased, giving Ichigo a nervous yet brilliant smile "I'm saying that it's theoretically possible for it to be that way." He shrugged, trying to pry his godson's chokehold on him. "Look at Kurosaki-san – can I call you Rukia-san?" at the woman's nod he continued blithely "Her reiatsu was drained, almost to the point of disappearing completely. She'll have to stay there and recover; it will be uncomfortable but bearable. In time, she can slowly use her kidō and if she wants, go out in her shinigami form! But the speed of recovery is up to her, so there's absolutely no telling when."

Yoruichi, who was content to remain sitting across them drinking milk that was brought earlier by a dark haired little girl, spoke up for the first time. "I wouldn't recommend getting out of the gigai for a while. Like for a decade or two; Soul Society would be focusing their efforts in locating all of you – especially Ichigo. If they ever got traces of your reiatsu, you'd be found."

"Then we have to go as far away as we can." Ichigo said. "Perhaps separately for a month or two –

"Stay in Karakura-cho." Urahara said, for the first time serious. "It would be the wisest course of action."

Ichigo glared at the older shinigami "Right, and get caught here?" he asked sarcastically, suspicious that another brilliant idea from the older shinigami would end up causing more harm than good for them. "Karakura-cho has a large amount of hollows present – as I'm sure YOU know. Therefore, shinigami will be here most of the time."

"The closer you are to danger, the farther you are from harm!" Sang Urahara in a cheerful voice, beaming widely. As the others looked incredulously at him, he took a sip of the tea before fixing them with a somber look. "Most of Seiretei's forces are at Hueco Mundo. Only divisions 7 and 2 have men in Karakura, most of them are even spread out to other parts of the globe. Those gigais are designed to hide reiatsu, I also took the liberty to install a device that makes you unrecognizable as long as you don't leave them. Besides," Urahara added as he fixed Ichigo with a hard look "I never had anything to do with the increasing amounts of hollow in Karakura. I just discovered that it did."

Ishida frowned. "So you didn't release a hollow-bait of sorts?"

"There are innocent people here, Ishida-san." Urahara replied, miffed at being suspected of doing something hanky-panky. "What would happen if no one bought from my store? I'd be driven to close the business!" he whined petulantly as he fanned himself industriously. "Can you imagine how much money I invested here?"

"Che." Ichigo grunted, "Like you care about the people here."

"Of course I do, business is business! But, considering the fact that the prizes for those functional gigais were slashed down to more than half the price, I'll go bankrupt!" Whined the shop owner. "This is no better than having Karakura overrun with hollows. You kids bring bad business." Then, he tapped his chin in an almost comical way as "Speaking of kids, I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate going back to an academy… so the official story is that you're supposed to be a few years out of high school and decided to join the workforce than go to a university."

"Oh so we look like adults…" mused Inoue, as she squeezed and pinched her cheeks, making weird faces at Ishida who was trying not to look fondly amused at her antics.

"That one doesn't." Ichigo snickered, jerking back a thumb at Rukia "Did you make a mistake with her gigai or something, Urahara?" he asked "'Coz she looks like she only just hit puberty."

An empty teacup suddenly flew past, hitting Ichigo straight to his left temple with a sickening whap.

"What the fuck!" he yelped, massaging his aching temple as Rukia gritted her teeth in anger before she sat back primly, clenching her hand.

"We'll need a place to stay." Rukia spoke at length, focusing her attention to Urahara. Fumbling in the pockets of her clothes, she pulled out a gold necklace with an impressively faceted sapphire pendant as large as an eye, surrounded by small diamonds – which she handed to Urahara. "How much can you give me for this?"

Ichigo stood up immediately "What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm selling my jewelry." Rukia said matter-of-factly, her Kuchiki upbringing kicking in "How would we buy food, clothing, and have a roof over our heads? Do you have money that you can use here?"

Yoruichi chuckled "Spoken like a true Kuchiki. When in doubt, check your purses for money."

"Oh, Rukia-san is good with that!" Inoue said excitedly. "Kuchiki-sama once said that Rukia-san has a head for money-making more than politics!" When she saw the necklace, her face fell. "Rukia-san! That's Hisana-san's necklace! It was her dying gift to you!"

Rukia shrugged, as if receiving dying gifts were but a daily occurrence for her. "Its alright. I'm sure she'll understand the need. Besides, it's worth a fortune."

Everyone suddenly looked at her, unable to say anything anymore.

"Don't part with that." Ichigo told her seriously, filling the uncomfortable silence "You'll regret it the rest of your life."

"But –

"I'm sure Isshin made arrangements." Yoruichi said as she swiped the necklace from a dazed Urahara who looked positively drooling at the gem that winked cheerfully "He wouldn't think about sending you off without provisions." Smiling, she tossed Hisana's gift back to a stunned Rukia. "Why don't you check the pack?"

Without another word, Ichigo opened the flap and took out a book "An Idiot's Guide to Living in a Gigai by Urahara Kisuke and Kurosaki Isshin?" he echoed "Why the hell did he put it in here?" Wordlessly, he passed it to Ishida who immediately leafed through it. Next came a small pouch with a string of flawless pearls; another pouch yielded ten diamonds, the size of a man's fingernail.

"Where did the old man get these anyway?" Ichigo mused as he rummaged through the pack once more.

Suddenly, a yellow thing popped out "Nee-san!" it cried happily, jumping straight onto Rukia. "Nee-san, hold me, I'm so scared and lonely!" Before it could reach her, Ichigo swiped the tail, dangling the plushie in mid-air. "And why are you here?" He shouted in annoyance, as he glared at Kon "Didn't I leave you in Yuzu's doll house yesterday?"

Kon furiously tried to hit Ichigo's face, but he was held from such a distance that it was impossible "You ugly, ugly man! Let me go, let me go! Nee-san needs me – my hugs, my kisses, my love –

And Ichigo gagged and hog-tied him with a piece of cloth, courtesy of Urahara. "Here," he said carelessly, as he threw the plushie to the shop owner "Do what you want with it."

Urahara smiled – a mad scientist smile that made the others scoot back hurriedly "Well if it isn't my old pet, Kon." Through the gag that covered him, Kon made various sounds that were obviously foul. These only made the shop owner smile even more "Ah… we are so having fun – like old times… I'm sure Jinta and Ururu would enjoy your company again…"

The plush doll tried to squeak its protests.

"Oh Jinta! Ururu!" Urahara called out in a sing-song voice. "Look who came back to the family! It's the prodigal modsoul!"

A second later, a red-haired boy and a brunette girl both dashed and walked in. Ururu immediately hugged the plush affectionately as the boy only shouted "Great, we got ourselves a cowboy once again! Let's scalp him!"

Without another word, both dashed out of the room, with Jinta making odd noises.

"Ah… children." Urahara said fondly "Such over-active imagination, eh?"

"Thank god you didn't have kids." Muttered Ichigo, shuddering at the mental images of his godfather siring a batch of perverted demons.

…

…

…

"Ta-dah!" Urahara said with a flourish, as he opened the door to the dubbed 'Kurosaki love nest,' his voice taking on a pitch reserved for real estate agents out to make a sale "Welcome to your new home! This wonderful duplex is made of steel and concrete. The flooring is made of mahogany planks – which is quite expensive – shined to perfection! A great starter home for newly weds, each unit has a cozy living room, a quaint dining room, a nifty kitchen, and a full toilet and bath at the first floor. Upstairs, a large master suite takes up the entire floor. Your home comes fully equipped with all the modern furniture, fixtures, and technological gadgets for entertainment and relaxation."

"A duplex?" Rukia asked in confusion as she followed the others in, removing their shoes as they went.

"Ah, Rukia-san – you and Ichigo are married. You two deserve privacy. If Ishida-san and Inoue-san live with you… well… people are bound to think nasty stuff." Urahara said naughtily, giving the couple a knowing smile. "But if you like that sort of thing – we can always tear down the walls in between!"

Inoue frowned, in between flicking a lampshade on and off repeatedly "Excuse me, what sort of thing are you talking about?" At the back of her mind, she was amazed at these contraptions. Back at the Kuchiki compound, everything had elegance, but here, they boasted of a power source that was completely different.

"Why couple-swapping, of course!" Urahara said cheerfully. "It's a current trend somewhere in the West, I've heard… you could try your friend's wife – or even your friend, if you're into that sort of thing – for a while and -

But Urahara never got to finish his sentence as a red-faced Ichigo punched him once more before kicking him, sending him flying to the wall. "Watch your mouth, you old perverted geta-boshi!"

"Kurosaki-kun!" he cried, trying to keep his bucket hat perched on his head "Why are you like that? You've become ill tempered since I last saw you! All I'm trying to do is help!"

"Shut up." Came the snide reply. "Only one bedroom?" Ichigo muttered angrily as he looked around "Why the hell is that when the place looks quite spacious? Are you planning something?"

Urahara gave him a look of surprised horror "Separate bedrooms? You want separate bedrooms? Are you and Rukia-chan having problems? You must be hogging the covers, Kurosaki-kun!" he then looked at Rukia "I know he's not a calm sleeper, but did he _kick_ you off the bed?"

Trying to hold her laughter, Rukia covered her mouth with a hand. "No… he didn't. He does hog the covers though."

"Hey!" complained Ichigo, as he gave his wife an exasperated glare. "You were the one who were hogging the damn blankets!"

"Well, I'm afraid that you'll have to bear with that problem for a while, Rukia-san." Urahara said, chuckling "Kick him back if you will. We had to redesign the whole second floor because you two needed a bigger bathroom. And just where would I put the Jacuzzi if I had another bedroom made below?" he said airily as he continued on his spiel about the wonders of the house.

"What's a Jacuzzi?" Inoue asked Ishida, who was busy leafing through the guide book "I still can't find it, Inoue-san…" he said as he read through the contents in alphabetical order. "Wait. Here, a Jacuzzi is a relaxation device that is mainly therapeutic.

"That seems good." Rukia said, listening in to the conversation. Ignoring the babbling Urahara who was describing each focal point of the home he had built for them.

In fact, the only one who was currently listening to him (at least grudgingly) was Yoruichi, who paused often to scratch her ears and purr. "AH, look at the magnificent detailing! The wallpaper is exquisite –

"The Jacuzzi uses the amazing powers of water, and it creates a controlled whirlpool to massage the aching and tired muscles." Ishida continued on in interest.

Inoue nodded "I think we could use that."

"A Jacuzzi works by…" Suddenly Ishida stopped in mid-read, his face turning red.

"Well?" Ichigo asked the fukutaicho impatiently, surprising them that he was listening in to the conversation instead of being interested in the house. "What else?"

Ishida shook his head. "Um…" he said nervously "I don't think that this Jacuzzi thing is a good idea…" As the others looked at him quizzically, he coughed. "It says here you can only use the Jacuzzi if you're with someone from the opposite gender, a husband or betrothed, unclothed or at least in a skimpy outfit called a bathing suit…"

All three turned red at the implied conditions.

"I'm sure there's a nearby onsen…" Rukia tried to say as nonchalant as she could, all the while avoiding making eye contact with Ichigo. "Soul Society works perfectly fine without a Jacuzzi anyway…"

"Oh?" Urahara asked slyly "So does this mean that you two won't be trying the Jacuzzi?"

"Go to hell pervert." snarled Ichigo "Like I'd WANT to join that flat-chested midget –

"Finish it and you won't get lucky later." Warned an amused Urahara as he spotted a fuming Rukia.

On her part, Rukia was not amused. Urahara Kisuke, in her opinion, was by far the biggest pervert she had ever encountered in her entire life. He dared say things that should not be said in the presence of a woman not his wife and most especially not in the presence of a maiden. However, as Ichigo made his heated protests, Rukia felt her headache escalate and her anger boil over. Get lucky? Oh he'd be lucky if he made it to dawn alive.

The bastard had the gall to try and insult her… attributes, or the lack thereof. Did he somehow forget that he was the one who made a grab for the aforementioned 'flat-chested midget' and kissed her? Why was he the one acting like it was a pain to be in her presence?

"Alright everyone!" Urahara said, getting the attention of the four who were huddled by the sofa. "I'd like to explain these gadgets once, as the other house has the same furnishing. This," he said importantly, "Is the television, a staple accessory in any home."

Again, Ishida flipped throught the book. "Television, an entertainment device that projects images and sounds from current events to reality shows –

"What's a reality show?" Inoue asked, but was immediately hushed by Rukia.

"You guys will love the universal remote!" Urahara said excitedly as he hefted a slim, rectangular thing and twirled it like a home TV shopping agent. "Since your TV is cable-ready, you get more than 100 channels! Isn't it great? Now you can watch programs from the United States, France, Russia, Mexico, China, Korea, Philippines, and even India! Ohh… Ururu and Tessai love Bollywood movies!"

Once more, Ishida's face reddened as he encountered a particular phrase explaining the use of the television. "Err… you watch this TV while cuddled with someone from the opposite gender, a husband or betrothed, while on the… couch."

"This is ridiculous." Hissed Ichigo as he looked at the said TV as if it was a menos "Is a TV really an important fixture in here?" Trust the perverted Urahara to mess with their heads the moment they got out of Seiretei.

"And now, the pride of modern technology in the living realm." Urahara said, as if introducing a dignitary "No home is ever without one. Relationships and bonds deteriorate without this contraption. Families' bicker, couples go to bed angry at each other, and children complain of hunger without it! This item's disappearance causes anarchy and mutual funds disappear without this!

"Ladies and gentlemen, plus one cat… I present to you… THE MICROWAVE!" Urahara cried out, waving his hands excitedly in front of the microwave as the observers were showered with confetti.

The room was so silent; you could hear a penny drop.

"Microwave," Ishida mumbled as he went through the pages of the guide, Ichigo, Rukia, and Inoue reading over his shoulder. "A miraculous invention that heats previous meals and makes TV dinners edible for eating…

"Heats previous meals?" Rukia asked, "Why not use the stove?"

"TV dinners?" echoed Inoue, "Does it mean we can eat the TV? Is it edible?"

"Oi, what's the perverted catch?" Ichigo asked impatiently, at the quizzical look Rukia sent him, he shrugged "Well if THEY wrote it, everything's bound to be perverted. Something for married or betrothed couples and all that shit."

"Ah." Ishida said in embarrassment as he cleared his throat "A microwave, a handy invention in the living realm for couples that wish to have private moments without sacrificing their stomachs. Just heat the food in the microwave to replenish energy after strenuous romantic interludes."

"Just teach me how to use their stove and I can cook anything for as many as possible – anytime." Rukia said weakly, her face red at the innuendo. The others all nodded enthusiastically at her.

Urahara coughed to call their attention, as I'm sure you all are tired – may I remind that the Jacuzzi is just in the bathroom and the instructions on using it are inside as well – let us go upstairs to tour the bedroom!"

But before he could go up the stairs, Ichigo grabbed hold of his kimono and pulled him back. "I don't think so – geta-boshi. What the hell are you and the old man up to? Everything in this house runs on perversions!"

"Kurosaki-kun, can you blame your father and I if we wanted to hear the pitter-patter of tiny Kurosaki feet? We feel sorry that your honeymoon was shot, so we came up with this for the two of you as a wedding gift!" he cried out, taking hold of Ichigo by the shoulders (how the hell did he move so fast, was the question the others were asking themselves) "Besides, You're MARRIED Kurosaki-kun, you're supposed to be doing these things!"

Ichigo froze, knowing that only half of the people in the room knew the real deal behind his marriage to Rukia.

"Now of all times is the right moment for you both to think of having kids!" Urahara cried, shaking his godson frantically. "If you get caught, you'll be executed and who will continue the Kurosaki line? I promised your father that his name would not end at your death! We're wasting Masaki's genes!"

With flourish, he whipped out his fan in front of Ichigo, nearly hitting his nose. "I need to make sure you both are free to try as often as possible!" he said enthusiastically, a manic glint shining in his eyes, reminding the others that he was considered to be a mad genius in Seiretei. "I packed vitamins, energy drinks, and even aphrodisiacs in the pantry just for both of you! We'll be cheering on from the sidelines, praying to all kinds of deities and fertility gods to grant you two a child or a dozen!"

"Well… he does make sense." Inoue seconded, looking at the by-now beet-red couple that were inching away from each other as fast as they could without drawing attention to themselves. "I'm so looking forward to help you take care of your babies, Rukia-san! We can go shopping for clothes and toys, take them to the doctor, and make them their baby food!"

Now Ichigo sported a look of horror on his face. Inoue, making baby food? Gods, his kids would die! He could already imagine the buxom woman churning out wasabi-flavored sweet potato mash, toffee rice with ginger mix, even chocolate smothered chicken livers! Covering his mouth, he struggled to keep his last meal from upchucking. They should have just recruited Inoue's culinary skills to defeat hollows.

Finally, Rukia found her voice "If this was a plan for a married couple, why are you putting Ishida and Inoue in it?" she shrieked, grabbing hold of the shocked Urahara by the neck and throttling him with all the frustration and anger she felt. "Are you dragging her down the depths of depravity?"

Behind them, Ishida went red in a face, outdoing even the most virtuous of maidens by a good mile.

"Ishida-kun is gentleman!" shouted Inoue, her hands at her hips. "Shame on you to try and make him look like a pervert!" she told Urahara. "I trust him! And he's very nice to me!"

"Arigato, Inoue-san." Ishida said weakly.

But Inoue was far from finished. "I have no problems sharing a room with him – he's warm to cuddle to!"

"Eep." Mumbled Ishida.

Urahara laughed gaily as he focused his attention on his godson once more "So… Kurosaki-kun… you wanna get the freak on with Rukia-san already? I'm sure you'll love the bed – it has a mirror overhead."

…

…

…

Later in the evening, as Yoruichi and Urahara were leaving, the feline was beside herself with laughter "Devious Urahara, simply devious."

Smiling as he gave an exaggerated bow Urahara replied, "I live to please."

…

…

…

(One month later)

He envied those who were living in the real world.

After many decades of being a shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo came to a conclusion that the humans got the easier deal. True, they had to deal with such a fast-paced lifestyle that revolved around certain material things, but at least they had a way to get past the monotony.

The ability to lead a mortal life was a good thing. Which was why he wondered why many falsely considered dying as the Great Escape. In life, you had a lot of options – many decisions to affect different paths that you can take. On the other hand, in the after life, you get saddled with the choices you make for eternity – unless you were a shinigami and you get to die again.

Kurosaki Ichigo. A taicho, one of the strongest shinigami that ever appeared in the whole history of Gotei 14, was living an exiled life in Karakura-cho. A different life that he never wanted in the first place but was decidedly curious about. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, he was forced to accept his fate of masquerading as a weak human, and dealing with trivial concerns not like the ones he was used to deal with back at Seiretei. If it weren't for the fact that he found more works of Shakespeare here (the collection the playwright's works that his father bought to their home paled in comparison), he would have felt learning about human culture as boring.

After the initial culture shock subsided, Ichigo decided to learn more about these humans and how they lived. For him, there were not that many differences, except for the gadgets and gizmos that these humans couldn't seem to function without. Once he found out that Urahara's 'perverted' electronic items were really harmless, he threw himself into mastering it completely. Putting his much talked about ability to learn new things in an instant, Ichigo poured through the manuals for a few days until he got everything in his head.

He then became a carpenter. A good, albeit grumpy one at that. During the time he had been looking for a job, Ichigo discovered that his long-forgotten hobby could actually be considered as a career. Back when Masaki was alive, he had been interested in carving paperweights that his mother enjoyed collecting. As he grew older, he gradually shifted into making stuff for Karin and Yuzu. He even made dollhouses complete with furniture for them to play with.

At first, he did simple things like repair their furniture (which often got caught in the crossfire whenever he and Rukia had one of their spats) or alter those whose workmanship he disliked, like the chairs Urahara got on sale. Then he decided to give up salvaging them and make his own instead. His favorite was a narrow, elegant side table drawer made from maple and had a smooth, glossy finish. It reminded him of the one his mother had at home.

Rukia, who was quick to spot financial potential, immediately convinced him to open up a shop and commandeered the said table for herself. Despite his initial disbelief, he made a tidy profit in just under a month. Soon, neighbors and satisfied customers spread the word – there was a young furniture-maker in Karakura that had the skills of a seasoned craftsman. The garage became his display area while the spacious tool shed at the back became his workroom.

If the others could see him now, they wouldn't believe their eyes. Ichigo said wryly as he continued to varnish the delicate-looking rocking chair that he made just recently.

Suddenly, he felt a tingling sensation rushing down his spine. Quickly, he half-stumbled over to the window, to pull aside the blinds and look outside.

A hollow. A weak, low-life hollow was outside, sniffing the air in search of a meal. Ichigo had to acknowledge the fact that his entire body was just itching to go out and purify the hollow. He was so attuned to his job that it was his second nature to go after hollows – his natural enemy. To restrain him from doing so was like telling him to sit still for the whole day.

It was pissing Ichigo beyond belief. The whole situation warranted a load of aggression, for crying out loud! All he wanted was Aizen-bastard's decapitated head on a platter, and it wasn't even supposed to be a silver one, mind you! That was all he wanted but somehow, he ended up in a mess far bigger than what he ever imagined. Now, he was running from a death sentence, exiled from the only life he ever knew (he was born in Soul Society, not in Rukongai after all), unable to do anything because he had to protect his accidental wife.

If his story would be made into a kabuki play, Ichigo was sure that people would flock to watch if for years to come.

Without a word, but with much gnashing of teeth, Ichigo stood and forced himself to watch as the hollow dashed off ahead – no doubt smelling something tasty for lunch. He only wished there was a shinigami who could stop it, or that poor soul was dead.

Angrily, Ichigo turned around to look at the chair that was sitting innocently in the middle of his shop. Before he spun around on his heels to go out of the door, a hand absent-mindedly turning the sign from open to close.

There was no way he would let hollows get away with this.

…

…

…

After many decades as a shinigami while being forced to become a full-fledged Quincy, Ishida Uryuu came to a conclusion that those who were still living got the easier deal.

Those who lived a mortal life had it easy. They were all living just for the moment, and the idea of them contemplating a future was very much laughable for him. Because in 60 or 70 years, they were practically qualified to take it easy and just do what they wanted.

Ishida was already more than 100 years old, yet he was still considered as young by the Quincy elders. He was born in Soul Society, in a peaceful time in their clan's troubled history. Welcomed into the realm of the dead, Ishida's destiny was that of an immortal guardian of the afterlife.

In the realm of the living, Ishida could do what he wanted – anything he wanted. The entire world was up for grabs, and the opportunities were endless. For a workaholic like him, it would have been an ideal situation. But to his dismay, his frantic work ethic was a whole new level higher from the ones he was forced to interact with.

And this scared the shit out of Ishida. In Seiretei, he strove to gain the respect and acceptance of the shinigami. As a Quincy, he had to prove that he was capable of purifying hollows without disrupting the natural balance of life. Day and night he spent hours pouring over books and perfecting his unique weapon in order to become a formidable fukutaicho. Serving under one of the strongest men in Soul Society, Ishida knew that surpassing Kurosaki Ichigo was something that would take decades, if not centuries and this only fuelled his desire to be the best marksman in the whole of Gotei 14.

To find that he had the luxury of taking it slow for the first time was a nightmare for him. He had to be preoccupied with something or he would go insane at the appalling amount of time he had on his hands.

It was late in the afternoon when Ishida first picked up a needle and thread after a long time; and started to sew. To his relief, he found that here, he need not worry about what people would think. No one would tell him that sewing was for pansies, sparring was for men. For Ishida, well-made clothing was a great investment and he appreciated a finely sewn kimono or yukata. With a vengeance he decided to make a Quincy outfit, tired of wearing regulation-black shinigami robes.

So he sewed. And he sewed some more. To show his gratitude, he sewed Yoruichi a comfortable suit that was easy to remove and to wear. Knowing her penchant to change forms, she needed it. He sewed Inoue tops and skirts in fabrics he knew she loved. He sewed Rukia-san dresses; airy, feminine dresses that he felt suited her frame. He sewed Kurosaki comfortable shirts. If they were to live as humans, they had to dress like humans and have styles like humans. He sewed the whole night through.

By morning, Ishida decided to sell clothing.

He never knew just how fashion-conscious Karakura residents were until he made the mistake of removing some of Kon's stuffing and turning him into a bag. It was an accident, really. He forgot to bring a bag when he went out to buy additional supplies. The cashier wanted to give him a plastic one – but he remembered hearing about a group featured on TV (there was no cuddling involved between him and Inoue-san; as they weren't married or anything) crying in outrage that it wasn't biodegradable. Thus, he made use of Kon. As he walked home carrying the shell-shocked plushie – who became a bag – everyone in the street stared at him all the way.

A week later, Ishida accepted a sewing machine from Rukia; an investment, she said nonchalantly. And the yellow _**Kon**_ plushie bag (in different types and sizes, of course) had a cult following that spread to Tokyo.

Looking outside the window as he contemplated new designs, Ishida spotted his taicho running full tilt after a hollow. His eyes narrowed, Kurosaki better not be an idiot and expose them. He had no time to fend off shinigami, not when he was going to open his second shop to introduce a new line of _**Kon**_ merchandise.

He decided to leave Ururu in the shop as he ran out.

…

…

…

She hated the living world.

After many decades of living in Soul Society, both as a noble and as a shinigami, Kurosaki Rukia came to a conclusion that she never liked humans and the way they lived.

The first time she ventured outdoors, she ran into a young family by the park. The father was carrying his daughter on his shoulders as the mother walked behind them while the older brother dashed around. There was this thing called a balloon… it was red and large. They were eating ice cream in many colors.

Up to this day, Rukia wonders if what she had that day was heartburn. She was probably stressing herself too much.

In the living world no one cared about hiding emotions, donning masks, and carrying politeness to the extreme. The rich mingled with the poor, a woman could walk unguarded, and no one cared if you said what was on your mind. Here, clothing was 'modern' and hemlines were 'fashionably short' or 'comfortably long' depending on your tastes. Here a woman could hold a position, earn money on her own, and live away from the family even if she was unmarried.

Rukia, seeing all these things that she was deprived of, felt like she was dropped in hell. Half of her wanted to try anything and everything, while a part of her wanted to just sit, as the shock was too much to bear.

True to her upbringing, Rukia immediately singled out the opportunities that were available for them. She researched on the military, seeing as it was the counterpart of shinigamis. Unfortunately, the differences were too great for them to assimilate in smoothly. She then looked into the possibility of Ichigo being a teacher. As one of the best swordsmen in Gotei 14, it wouldn't be hard for him to take on disciples; even Ishida's skill with the bow would be an asset. However, as they had no dojo, it was out of the question.

When she saw a side table and was presented with half a dozen new outfits, Rukia knew she hit the jackpot. It only took her a minimum amount of convincing them, considering she employed all her Kuchiki skills of diplomacy and persuasion, tipping in the idea of earning money to help their financial resources. The cost of living here was high, and she had a difficult time with making budgets for BOTH homes.

Her threat of selling her sister's necklace did the trick.

Inoue was her problem. Her friend was adamant on working in a restaurant or being a teacher, and the potential for disaster was high. Pulling rank was not an option, so Rukia was forced to wrack her brains for a suitable job line for Inoue.

When Inoue befriended an aging local horticulturist, Rukia found the perfect solution. She bought the greenhouse and placed Inoue in charge. It was a stroke of genius; the buxom woman had a knack for taking care of flowers, as her abilities manifested itself as a hibiscus flower hairpin that she wore. Her talking to the flowers was by no means weird, but it was acceptable, and she was religious in ensuring that the plants got the right amount of water, sunlight, and fertilizer (organic, mind you). As a result, Inoue was able to open her own flower shop instead of selling them to local florists.

As soon as they were settled in their respective careers, Rukia decided to focus her sights on greener pastures. Unfortunately, what could she do? She didn't have technical skills and she doubted that her Kuchiki Education was worth anything here. It was easy enough to say that she should start a store or something, but as Rukia still could not grasp the trade secrets and business dealings in Karakura, this plan sounded so wrong. She needed to learn it herself. Going to school was an obvious decision, but it would take a while. What she needed was to either be a partner or start from the bottom.

Ignoring Ichigo's hints that she should just stay at home and let him work, Rukia continued to apply odd jobs at many stores. She worked at the grocer, the bookstore, and the ice cream parlor. She might not enjoy it, but Rukia got the chance to see the kind of people that lived in Karakura and understand money matters, making her somewhat of an expert on local finances for the businesses her companions had.

Until such time she found the niche for her, she would try as many jobs as she could.

"Ano… excuse me…" a voice beside her called out shyly.

Rukia turned around to see a little girl who was wearing a cute yellow dress with a matching hat.

The girl was a ghost.

And as she heard a sound she was so familiar with, her breath temporarily was dislodged in her throat. There was a hollow, and she didn't have enough reiatsu to bring it down.

…

…

…

On instinct borne out of many years spent fighting hollows. Rukia grabbed the child and they leapt to the side, avoiding the arm that bore down on them.

Damn it! She thought angrily. Of all times she had to encounter a hollow was now when she wasn't recovered enough. But Rukia did not mind, a low reiatsu only meant that she had to focus even more on a kidō spell. Raising her arms, as she ran forward, she chanted "Ye Lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium; the sea barrier surges, March on to the south! Shakkahō!"

Immediately, a red fire ball shot out and hit the hollow straight at the mask. Rukia prided on her accuracy at hitting hollows. This time was no different.

Rukia looked up from between the hollow's legs. It was a decently strong spell. It would work.

Except that it didn't, and soon Rukia found herself sailing through the air, hitting the nearby wood wall with a sickening thud. "Hell." She choked and panted; as she felt her vision swim and something cold and wet trickle from the back of her head. Instinctively, she knew what it was. Blood.

To her horror, the ghost child remained where she left her, frozen on the spot, an easy prey for the hollow. "Run!" she tried to shout, but her voice came out weak. Slowly, she used her arms to raise her from the ground. Another round should do it. Forcing the gigai to stabilize itself, Rukia drew in from the reserve energy that Urahara claimed to have placed in. She hoped that it worked, or she was killing the perverted shop owner personally.

Once again running, Rukia forced herself to reach the child in time. "Ye Lord! Mask of flesh and bone, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Sōkatsui!"

The blast was larger and it was more destructive, but it was either the hollow was more powerful than she expected or… she really was drained of her reiatsu. Because the next thing Rukia saw was the blue sky, as a heavy, clawed arm pinned her down.

"Oh… so a shinigami eh?" the hollow leered "Hmmm… no wonder you smell tasty."

"Bastard." She hissed as the hollow's grip tightened. To her horror, it loomed closer, its mouth wide open to eat her up. Great, she thought, this was a great way to prove that you're a capable shinigami – get yourself eaten.

But the painful death never came. To Rukia's surprise, the hollow was hurled to the side, barreled over by the force of something fast hitting it head on. The hollow hit a wall, causing it to crumble.

"Rukia!"

Focusing her eyesight, Rukia could see a mess of orange hair fluttering in the wind. "Ichigo?" she called him hesitantly. "Ichigo?"

"Hang on." Ichigo said tersely as he scooped his wife up in his arms and dashed off to avoid the rampaging hollow. He wanted to check if she was hurt, but as of the moment, his primary concern was making sure that the hollow did not get to Rukia.

When he first saw her lying down, the hollow looming over her, Ichigo felt his heart stop for a moment. Then he felt the rush of adrenalin that made him run in speeds considered as breaking records for the humans. He didn't care if he was in a gigai. Nothing would get to Rukia, not until he had reiatsu left in him.

She was bleeding and drifting off into unconsciousness. If she had a concussion, this was dangerous. "Don't close your eyes, Rukia!" he ordered her sternly. "I forbid you to close your eyes."

"Bastard." She griped weakly "I could have handled it myself."

"Sure midget, and you can hardly keep your eyes open." He snarked, goading her to stay awake.

Finally, Rukia's eyes fluttered open, her violet eyes looking at him blindly "Ichigo…" she whimpered.

Ichigo jumped to the side, avoiding the debris of a crushed wall. They were fortunate to have outrun the hollow and they remained pressed against the wall of an alley. "Rukia, what?" he asked, leaning slightly to hear her in case she wanted to say something. He hoped she was quick with it; he needed to focus on the hollow that was circling the alley, trying to find a way to get between the narrow walls.

With Ichigo within hearing distance, Rukia opened her mouth "Asshole!" she screamed, whapping him on the head. "How dare you think me weak?"

"Bitch!" an enraged Ichigo shouted back, feeling his head throb with pain "Ungrateful bitch!"

Ahead, Ishida sighed. Only Kurosaki and Rukia-san would scream at each other while a hollow was after them. He and the girl ghost were currently safe, as he was able to push her with him in an abandoned warehouse. Unfortunately, the other shinigamis were not in a similar position.

Ichigo ducked and weaved to the side, forced to leave the protection of the alley as a powerful blow shattered the walls. The hollow's arm missed his head by an inch. "Shit!" he cursed as he heard his gigai's fake muscles protest in pain. There was no way he could fight it head on, not when he was holding Rukia. The situation required him to put her down, but he would not do it. "A distraction, Ishida!" he snapped out to his fukutaicho who was hidden nearby.

Miffed, Ishida wondered just what?

Unlike shinigami, the Quincy had their own power, and it could be used whether he was in his soul form or a gigai. The question is, would he dare use it? After turning away from his Quincy heritage to become a shinigami, would he use his family's ability to destroy the hollow, preventing it from being reborn as a plus once more in soul society? For all he knew, this hollow could have been just a father, a brother, or a husband who did not wish this to happen.

But what about the soul he was protecting? Was he not under oath to defend them from hollows? What of Rukia-san, who was lying badly bruised and bleeding as Kurosaki tried to get her away from the hollow?

"Byakurai!" Ishida heard his taicho shout, attempting to use kidō, now that he was left weaponless.

The ghost child cried even louder, and no amount of assurance could make her stop.

He was left with no choice. Ishida stepped outside his shelter, extended his right hand, and from it dangled the item that he so loathed to use. All he needed was one shot…

(Flashback)

"_Take it." Ishida Ryuuken said dryly "Despite your decision to abandon our clan and our family, the Quincy will not abandon you."_

_Uryuu glared at his father "I will not need it at the Academy, Ryuuken. I will be given a zanpaktuô and I will be a shinigami."_

_Ryuuken laughed harshly, "Oh, and are you confident in your shinigami abilities, boy?" he jeered. "There will be a time when you will be without your so-called zanpaktuô, and you will need the Quincy abilities."_

"_Never will that happen." Uryuu said emphatically. "I will be a shinighami and purify hollows; I will not destroy the soul that resides within the filth of a hollow."_

_The older Ishida gave his son a mocking look "Your idealism will be the death of you, Uryuu. You will soon find yourself needing the Quincy cross, and you will be forced to use it against a hollow, and you will annihilate it."_

(End flashback)

Now, as the familiar yet chilling blue beam slowly morphed into a spiritual bow, Ishida was still reasoning with himself why he was doing the one thing he detested. His face set grimly, Ishida pulled the bow tautly back and took aim.

His eyes shut briefly when he released the arrow.

(TBC)

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Augh. I revised this chapter so many times I already forgot the original version. This was by far, challenging. I had to write how Urahara inducted them to the real world. I just knew Isshin wouldn't want to be left out in torturing his son.

I'm sure everyone expected Ichigo to be a doctor. But how could he be one in just a month? I hope you all see the merit of a 'carpenter' Ichigo. Think of Urahara making innuendoes at how he uses his hands!

To **JadeRent**, your **Indefinitely** fic was something I read all over again in preparation for this. Your fic was just so hilarious I needed to laugh to get inspired (yes, other writers swim for inspiration or sleep; me, I have to laugh – a real, honest to goodness laugh before I either go on a writing frenzy or stare into nothingness and commune with my muse). Lol, I can totally imagine Urahara introduce shinigami to the real world that way.

I did a reverse of Bleach; **sigh**; it was the only way to go for me. There really wasn't much dialogue for the last part, and that is what's challenging. So, if you guys liked this chapter, please send me a review.

On a side note, several things came up. The most important one is that I will, by next month, be completely busy with work. I'm not entirely sure WHEN I can find time to write new chapters and post them, so I'm saying sorry in advance if I will be quite delayed in updating. Hope you don't mind if I take a hiatus, right? I promise to spare as much time as I could to write chapters 16 and up (yes 15 is finished, its just being beta-ed).

Arigato!


	15. Chapter 15

**Heart's Desire Chapter 15 **

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: Still a T until further notice!

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know.

Summary: On the run from Seiretei, Ichigo, Rukia, Inoue, and Ishida arrive at Karakura to meet Urahara Kisuke and attempt to live like humans.

Yosh! Ichigo and the others are now in Karakura! The second arc begins!

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

_**Ichigo ducked and weaved to the side, forced to leave the protection of the alley as a powerful blow shattered the walls. The hollow's arm missed his head by an inch. "Shit!" he cursed as he heard his gigai's fake muscles protest in pain. There was no way he could fight it head on, not when he was holding Rukia. The situation required him to put her down, but he would not do it. "A distraction, Ishida!" he snapped out to his fukutaicho who was hidden nearby.**_

_**Miffed, Ishida wondered just what? **_

_**Unlike shinigami, the Quincy had their own power, and it could be used whether he was in his soul form or a gigai. The question is, would he dare use it? After turning away from his Quincy heritage to become a shinigami, would he use his family's ability to destroy the hollow, preventing it from being reborn as a plus once more in soul society? For all he knew, this hollow could have been just a father, a brother, or a husband who did not wish this to happen.**_

_**But what about the soul he was protecting? Was he not under oath to defend them from hollows? What of Rukia-san, who was lying badly bruised and bleeding as Kurosaki tried to get her away from the hollow?**_

"_**Byakurai!" Ishida heard his taicho shout, attempting to use kidō, now that he was left weaponless.**_

_**The ghost child cried even louder, and no amount of assurance could make her stop.**_

_**He was left with no choice. Ishida stepped outside his shelter, extended his right hand, and from his hand dangled the item that he so loathed to use. All he needed was one shot…**_

**(Flashback)**

"**Take it." Ishida Ryuuken said dryly "Despite your decision to abandon our clan and our family, the Quincy will not abandon you."**

**Uryuu glared at his father "I will not need it at the Academy, Ryuuken. I will be given a zanpaktuô and I will be a shinigami."**

**Ryuuken laughed harshly, "Oh, and are you confident in your shinigami abilities, boy?" he jeered. "There will be a time when you will be without your so-called zanpaktuô, and you will need the Quincy abilities."**

"**Never will that happen." Uryuu said emphatically. "I will be a shinighami and purify hollows; I will not destroy the soul that resides within the filth of a hollow."**

**The older Ishida gave his son a mocking look "Your idealism will be the death of you, Uryuu. You will soon find yourself needing the Quincy cross, and you will be forced to use it against a hollow, and you will annihilate it."**

**(End flashback)**

_**Now, as the familiar yet chilling blue beam slowly morphed into a spiritual bow, Ishida was still reasoning with himself why he was doing the one thing he detested. His face set grimly, Ishida pulled the bow tautly back and took aim.**_

_**His eyes shut briefly when he released the arrow.**_

…

…

…

Surprisingly, the projectile never made it far.

Ishida's first instinct was to wonder if his aim was off. It NEVER went off, so why the hell now?"

"Tsk. I was wondering when you guys would get into trouble." Yoruichi said, in mock annoyance as she stood on top of a lamppost. "If you took a while longer, I might have been disappointed."

Then she disappeared in a blur, and the hollow was soon gone. "Oi, Ichigo, I didn't know you were that weak."

"Whatever." Ichigo said grudgingly as he set his wife back on the ground, "Oi, Rukia here needs help."

Suddenly, footsteps were heard running towards them "Goodness, is Rukia-san alright! I'm sorry I'm late!" Inoue Orihime pants, "I was tied up with the cutest little boy who was shopping for a present for his mother." She explained as a bright yellow light engulfs Rukia. "Yosh! Don't worry, Rukia-san, you'll be better in no time!"

"Thank you, Inoue." Ichigo is finally able to say with a degree of calm. But that was until he looked straight into Rukia's eyes "What the hell were you thinking?" he shouted, causing Inoue to flinch by reflex. "You knew you weren't strong enough, yet here you are – bleeding and bruised because you fucking got in the way of a hollow!"

"Do not talk to me like I can't take care of myself!" thundered Rukia, as she glared at the irate orange-haired man. "I couldn't very well leave the child alone, could I?"

"Bullshit! The first rule of combat is that you never attempt anything above your abilities! And you call yourself a shinigami." He said scathingly "Did you think being noble would cut it."

Despite being in pain, Rukia sat up and smacked Ichigo across the face "Fuck you, asshole!" she snarled "Didn't you think I knew that? There was no other shinigami, Ichigo – did you think I'd sit there and watch the kid die? What would you have done, got out of your gigai and have us tracked?" Pushing Inoue aside, Rukia started to stand. "I'm going home. This conversation tires me."

"Rukia-san, your wounds…" Inoue said.

"Leave it." Rukia commanded coldly. "You treated the worse ones, I can handle this now."

Ichigo likewise stood up and glared down at his wife "You sit back and let Inoue finish what she started." He ordered, taking hold of her arm. "You'll sit there until you are completely healed."

"Go to hell." Snarled Rukia, slapping his hand off, as she made her way back to the house.

"Rukia!" yelled Ichigo as he strode after the fuming shinigami, both of them continuing to hurl insults at each other all the way.

Inoue looked back at the couple that was walking away. She made a move to go after them but Yoruichi stopped her "Leave them." She said simply as she held Inoue back by the arm "Let them iron it out."

"But Rukia-san is wounded."

"Its only a superficial wound. She can take care of it." Yoruichi said simply. Turning, she faced Ishida who was, to her surprise, looking shell-shocked. "Oi, Ishida. What's up with that look?"

Ishida looked at Yoruichi in horror "I missed. How could I have missed?"

Raising an eyebrow, Yoruichi teased, "What, you wanted to destroy the hollow completely?"

"No. I… I just never miss a shot." Ishida said thickly, as if in a daze. "I'll have to ask Urahara to look into this gigai. It's not working to… my satisfaction."

"Ishida-kun…" Inoue said worriedly.

Deciding to end the other's misery, Yoruichi laughed "You didn't miss; I just sent it somewhere else." Seeing the disbelieving (and the hopeful) look in Ishida's eyes, she explained, "This is a dimension mirror."

Showing them a small, shattered mirror in her hand, Yoruichi continued on. "It's a prototype. Kisuke wanted to make something that can transfer small items from one point to another by use of this mirror." She chuckled "Well, its back to the drawing board for him, this one's a fluke. Lucky I tested it, or he wouldn't know it was nearly worthless."

"Amazing!" cheered Inoue, clapping "That looks definitely interesting!"

"Kisuke realized that you people would probably get into trouble. Your duties as shinigami are too ingrained in you for you to stop. So he came up with some things for you to use." She confided, looking smug at the dumbstruck look in their faces. "As Inoue's the only one who can use her full abilities as she's not a shinigami; and that we know Ichigo isn't that talented in kidō compared to you and Rukia, Kisuke came up with something more convenient for you to use."

Ishida was pleasantly surprised "What about our reiatsu? Will we be traced?"

"Lets not ruin the surprise." Yoruichi told him. "Why don't we head over to your place so I can tell Ichigo and Rukia about it as well. I think Kisuke will be there shortly"

"What about the kid?" Inoue asked as she pointed to the crying girl ghost who still remained in the warehouse.

"Don't worry, a shinigami will find her soon." Came the reply "But lets take the longer route, I have a feeling a Shinigami will be here soon and we stayed far too long to outrun them."

Feeling relief coursing through his veins, Ishida allowed himself to smile faintly, "Thank you, Yoruichi san." He said gratefully as he and Inoue followed her back home through another alley. "But where did the blast go?"

Yoruichi smiled sneakily.

…

…

…

A scream of outraged surprise was heard all over Urahara shoten as a blue light smashed its way out of a window.

…

…

…

How dare he? Rukia thundered silently as she stepped into the house, carefully taking off her shoes at the entryway. Since when did he have the right to talk to her in such a fashion – in the presence of others no less? Even before she married him, Rukia knew that Ichigo was a world-class asshole and that he had no tact whatsoever. In anticipation for this, she tried to rein in her scathing comments as much as she could. After all, in a marriage, one had to act like an adult and stay silent while the other ranted. It was a polite way of making sure that fights remained to the minimum.

However, this boorish behavior of Ichigo's was taking her tolerance to far greater heights.

Angrily, Rukia made her way to the bathroom to look for the first aid kit. Bastard. This was one of the reasons that a noble never married so far below her station. In fact, this was one of the reasons why a person did not get married at all, period.

Grabbing hold of the antiseptic and various bandages, Rukia dumped all of them unceremoniously in the empty Jacuzzi. Bastard, she cursed once again, sitting on the edge. She peeled off the cardigan she wore over her spaghetti-strap dress to observe the gash that ran horizontally across her left shoulder inwards to her spine. It was fairly long and a bit deep. Rukia hoped it wouldn't scar.

She then carefully dabbed the surface of the wound with a wet towel, wincing slightly at the pain. It was going to be difficult to clean a wound she couldn't properly see, but she was up to the task.

"Give me that." Ichigo said roughly as he grabbed the cloth from her hands. Rukia looked up in unhidden surprise. She didn't hear him come in.

"I can handle this." She said coldly, turning her nose up in the air as she reached for another towel hanging nearby, intent on treating herself. "Leave me."

"Shut up will you?" he countered back, pushing her a bit to the side so he could look properly at the wound. Then he kneeled beside her as he started to clean it as thoroughly as he could.

Surprisingly, Ichigo's hands were gentle as he went about his task quietly. With steady hands, he wiped away traces of dirt. Once that was done, he reached into the Jacuzzi for the antiseptic. This he poured liberally onto the ball of cotton, which he then dabbed on the wound.

"Ouch." Hissed Rukia, wincing from the slight sting. "Don't press the cotton too hard on it."

Ichigo said nothing, but instead rolled his eyes. Pushing aside a stray lock of hair that was able to reach her shoulder blades (Rukia, to his disappointment, decided to cut short her hair one day, complaining of the difficulty to manage it), he once more applied the antiseptic. As he saw his wife wince once more, Ichigo leaned over to blow on the wound in an attempt to sooth the sting. She was acting like a baby.

Shinigamis were supposed to be able to handle such things and here she was acting like an academy freshman.

The moment Rukia felt Ichigo's breathe on her skin she shivered. From the cold or whatever, she had no idea. All she knew was that her skin was breaking out in goosebumps. At first she thought it was a fluke, but when it happened again… and again, Rukia just didn't know what to think anymore.

"Stop squirming." He ordered as he continued treating her wound. Ichigo raised an eyebrow in question. "You're supposed to be used to the sting already, Rukia." As his wife just stared ahead with a stony face, an idea came to him "You're… ticklish." He said flatly.

"Am not." Came her swift reply.

In retaliation, Ichigo blew into the back of her neck.

The reaction was immediate, Rukia's shoulders stiffened and jerked upwards by a notch.

"Ticklish." He said smugly.

"Reflex." She retorted.

With a short chuckle, he leaned once more, this time his lips were but a few millimeters away from the skin just below Rukia's ear. "Ticklish." He whispered slowly, drawing out every syllable and emphasizing the last one. Ichigo raised an eyebrow once more as he heard Rukia stifle a giggle.

Suddenly, she turned her head to face him "I'm not –

This was obviously a bad move, as her movement accidentally made Ichigo's lips come into contact with her skin.

Both remained rooted to the spot, frozen and unable to move, surprised at the sudden closeness. Strangely, no one seemed to want to pull away.

It was Ichigo who broke the silence. "Ticklish." He whispered smugly, lips moving against the side of her neck.

Rukia's eyes fluttered shut as she felt herself tremble. She could hear Ichigo's even breathing; its rhythmic pattern lulling her body into a state of relaxation. To her surprise, she felt that her breathing was in the same pace as his.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Ichigo's lips moved against her neck. This time, no word was said. All she could feel was his lips and his warm breath fanning at her skin. Time was slowing down, as if it was treading through jelly. As she felt small, open-mouthed kisses press ever so slowly, Rukia's sigh escaped her lips.

When she felt his tongue draw a lazy circle on a sensitive part of her neck, Rukia's head sagged to the side. Her body should have followed, but Ichigo's arm was around her middle, holding her in place. She felt her body relax then slowly tense once more as she felt heat unfurl deep in her stomach; each nibble Ichigo made on her skin caused her blood to heat up as something became listless in her.

He really didn't know how it happened, but the towel was now on the cold tile floor and his right hand was around Rukia's waist. Ichigo might have pondered on the events preceding it, but he was currently occupied with nipping at Rukia's skin. With her head lolled to the side, Ichigo had more access to the side of her neck. He could feel her pulse beat frantically against his mouth, gaining his curiosity. Experimentally, he gave it a shallow bite. And when his teeth grazed at it more sharply than what he intended for a moment, he felt Rukia grab his arm as she whimpered.

Hell yeah.

As his lips traveled down to the junction where Rukia's neck and shoulders met, his right hand moved on its own from her waist upwards until it rested just below Rukia's chest. The action caused Rukia to lean back against him heavily. His other hand shot out to grab on to the Jacuzzi, bracing them as his right hand went up even higher, closing around Rukia's left breast. Instinctively, his hands massaged the flesh that was hidden by a few layers of clothing. A perfect fit.

God yes. He thought, or hissed – he had no idea anymore. He could almost hear his blood pound heavily in his hear, combined with the small moans Rukia was making. Oh damn! Everything was going so fast around them; all he could make of the room was a blur. The damn dress of hers was getting in the way… maybe if –

"Rukia-san!" Inoue's voice called out cheerfully as she let herself in the house.

Ichigo jerked back as if burned, making himself lose balance, crashing down on the floor bewildered; while at the same time Rukia snapped into attention, which unfortunately caused her to fall backwards into the empty Jacuzzi, her legs sticking out awkwardly.

Wide-eyed and her face flushed red, Rukia peered back at Ichigo nervously who was looking both poleaxed and fuming mad at the same time. If ever that was a possible combination.

Hell, what kind of lousy timing does Inoue have anyway? He thought angrily as he watched Rukia try to get out of the Jacuzzi. Looking down, he realized that he better stay inside for a while… unless he wanted to start an interesting conversation. Damn. This was not a good scenario. He watched Rukia struggle for a moment as she made her way out of the Jacuzzi, but decided to stop it before he had an even _bigger _problem.

The way her thighs were showing as she climbed out of the twice-damned Jacuzzi was enough for him to pray to every deity he knew in order for him not to lock the door and just have his way with her right there on the floor.

It was a bad idea.

Ichigo waved a hand at Rukia, telling her without words to go see to the guests.

To which Rukia replied with a glare as she tried to get her bearings back and straighten her clothes.

"I am not in a condition to meet guests." Ichigo ground out as quietly as he could, explaining his 'predicament.'

As a red-faced Rukia dashed out hurriedly, carrying the antiseptic and the bandages, Ichigo sighed. This marriage for convenience was turning into an inconvenient one.

…

…

…

Something was definitely going on here. She had been alive for many years, and Yoruichi knew that look.

It was the I'm-screwed-and-there's-nothing-I-can-do-about-it look.

Both Ichigo and Rukia were wearing it. THAT caught her attention. A quick glance to Kisuke who just arrived, confirmed her suspicions as he was also carrying a veiled smirk similar to hers.

They were all currently having snacks. Or maybe, since Inoue made them, they were _pretending_ to eat the snacks. Yoruichi sat on the sofa, sipping a large glass of milk as slowly as she could. Kisuke, after mumbling an excuse of having already eaten snacks, sat lazily on a chair. Ichigo, on the other hand, had his lips currently glued to his teacup, his eyes fixed anywhere else expect for two things: Inoue's snacks and Rukia.

Rukia was just watching Inoue stuffing Ishida's mouth with bean-paste jell-o and soya-seaweed cupcakes with orange marmalade frosting. All while eating a plain cupcake with whipped cream on top.

Yoruichi watched with great amusement as Ichigo's eyes were finally fixed on Rukia. Specifically, on the cream that was stuck on the corner of her mouth. As the female shinigami ran her tongue through the side of her lips, she watched as Ichigo's face turned a wee bit red.

Chuckling, she set down the glass. "Oi." She said, getting their attention. "Urahara here has some stuff for you."

At this, Ichigo scowled. That better not be another batch of 'energy tonics' and other perverted whatnot. Honestly, Urahara was just as bad as his father, with all of his 'encouragements.' Unfortunately, the lack of minors present made Urahara pull out all the stops. His blatant suggestions were so freakingly descriptive that even the naïve Rukia got the general idea.

He remembered seeing the angry and embarrassed fire in her eyes as she hit him on the head with a tray repeatedly, screaming "You wanted to do WHAT to me?" right after Urahara explained the concept behind the installed mirror above their bed.

Urahara, in his usual perverted manner, smiled slyly as he piped up that "mirrors enhance the experience, Rukia-san! The view from top is really something!" When Ichigo vehemently denied even being remotely interested in Rukia _that way_, Inoue once again delivered the final blow as she reminded him that he had _assaulted_ Rukia back when she visited him in jail.

Needless, to say, Ichigo spent the majority of the night covering the damn mirror with spare blankets and curtains until Rukia deemed his effort satisfactory. Then the damned woman placed up another wall of pillows between them, even going as far as attempting to reinforce it with kidō and leaving all the lights in the bedroom on.

Heaven help him from ill-informed virgins.

Returning to the immediate present, Ichigo turned to give his godfather his most furious stare yet. "I know you're my old man's friend and all, but the moment you hand out something perverted once more, I will definitely hurt you for it." He warned as he warily eyed a large box that the other nonchalantly placed on top of the table.

"I am so offended, Kurosaki-kun!" bemoaned Urahara as he gave Ichigo a baleful look. "If you're simply not interested with this nifty gadget that allows you to fight hollows in your full power WITHOUT being tracked by Soul Society, then I'll just have to go and take these –

"Leave and I will break all the bones in your body, Urahara." Rukia said simply. For formality's sake, she had attempted to call him a respectful 'Urahara-san' during the first week of their stay in Karakura. However, his increasingly perverted innuendoes about her and Ichigo were definitely making it difficult for her to see him as someone worth respecting. The last straw came weeks ago after he gave Ichigo paraphernalia about scantily to undressed women all called 'bunnies.'

Obviously she was not amused. Suffice to say that her actions that day made Urahara extremely cautious around her, especially if she used a certain tone to address him.

"But of course!" Urahara said enthusiastically "Anything for Rukia-san!" With much slowness that was deliberate, he took out a large rectangular box from a bag beside his chair and placed it carefully on the coffee table. "Here is the latest product from the Urahara shoten; a device that even shinigami in Seiretei are not aware of, mind you."

Without a word, Ichigo opened the box and saw to his surprise… 4 ultra slim and compact cellular phones. "We already have phones Urahara, is this a joke?"

"Oh-ho, Kurosaki-kun." tittered the amused shopkeeper. "Don't underestimate these nifty little buggers! What if I tell you that by using these phones, you can turn back into your shinigami forms – in full power! – While avoiding the detection of fellow shinigamis?"

Ichigo glanced at the others before giving Urahara a suspicious look. "I'd say your either pulling our legs or this thing has a catch."

"Everything has a catch, Kurosaki-kun." Urahara chuckled, but his eyes carried a wealth of meaning hidden in its depths. "Fine, now take a phone as I explain how it works. Except, for Inoue-san; please take the yellow one. Your abilities are unique from the shinigamis, so you have a different model."

The remaining three rushed off to get the one that was not pink.

"Hey!" huffed Rukia as she eyed the red phone in Ichigo's hand and the blue one in Ishida's.

Ignoring the slight scuffle as Rukia tried to wrestle the red phone from ichigo, Urahara turned to Inoue. "Unlike their phones, yours have limited features, I'm afraid. Only a cloaking device so that humans – unless with high spiritual abilities – wouldn't see you, and a memory-modification zapper. Just press the red button and ZAP! The human forgets what he saw." As Inoue tried to access it, he immediately grabbed the phone as a precaution. The zapper function had a drawback – it carried a small amount of sting that was very uncomfortable. And he had no intention of being zapped even accidentally. "What's good about it though is that it has a built-in tracking device for both hollows and your friends here."

Showing the button to access it, Urahara handed it back to Inoue. "That way, you can always provide them medical backup when needed. Of course," he added smugly "It also has the same functions as any modern phone. You can call, text, send MMS, capture pictures and videos, a radio, a flashlight, and an MP3 player with a ringtone you can customize! 3-D technology is AMAZING so you can talk to Ishida-san and see him at the same time. Even while in the shower!"

Ishida turned red at the insinuation.

"Now… as for you three, your phones are equipped with the same functions as Inoue-san's but with just a press of the yellow key there, you can dematerialize your gigais and fight hollows with your full strength. Unfortunately, there is a time limit; you can only be in your soul form for 30 minutes before you return to your gigais and be like a human once more."

Ishida frowned "But what if we're fighting something like a menos – or encounter 100 hollows? That's going to put us in a tight spot."

"I'm afraid there's no way out of that." Urahara told him "The phone will alert you if you're near your limit. If you hear it once – it means you can only fight for ten minutes more; twice if you have 5 minutes left; and it will beep like hell - " added Urahara in a high-pitched voice, waving his hands in the air like crazy, almost hitting Ishida in the face "if you're pushing it, just before your gigai automatically materializes. The phone will also tell you if you have enough reiatsu or time left to go back into your soul form once again; so don't pick successive fights. This transformation will deplete you with reiatsu so fast you won't have time to wonder or plan a full tactical fight."

"No problem with that." Ichigo said confidently "We'll have to finish it quickly then."

Urahara nodded. He seemed pleased at his godson's emphatic response. "Good to know."

"But how does it work." Rukia said in an unimpressed yet disgruntled voice. Partly because she was still saddled with the all too cheery and glittery pink phone monstrosity; and partly because the annoying device kept flashing the word 'Low Signal' at the top left part "And what does low signal mean? I can't call anyone?"

Looking at the female shinigami seriously, Urahara frowned "No, your phone does not need to have a good signal to call, nor does it run on batteries; Low Signal means you can't synch with it, Rukia-san. It happens when you don't have enough reiatsu."

"You mean, I can't turn into a shinigami?" she asked aghast.

"Not YET. Wait for it to go 'Medium Signal' or 'High Signal' before you use it. Because its not going to work unless otherwise."

Rukia's hand clenched the phone. She wasn't fully recovered yet. Stupid phone, stupid settings. Low signal, medium signal, high signal – lame terms. Couldn't Uurahara get anymore creative and develop something cool-sounding that helps speed the return of reiatsu?

"Oi. Which button will we press for it to be activated?" Ichigo asked after he looked back at Rukia, checking if she was alright. Well, she looked mightily pissed and he couldn't blame her.

"Ah! I'm glad you asked!" Urahara said brightly, as if eager to dispel the lingering dark cloud that loomed above him; courtesy of one angry shinigami. "All you need to do is dial 1; press send button; raise the phone, shout the transformation phrase and clip it on your robes after turning into shinigmi! Its actually very easy!"

"And just WHAT is it?"

Urahara smiled at Ichigo before he cleared his throat a few times. "Ahem…" Then, taking a deep breath, he shouted in a falsetto voice "Guardian of Peace, Truth, and Justice! Protector of the weak! Defender of the Innocent! Scourge of Evil! Let the Power of God Descend and Cloak me! Shinigami Power-Up… Initializing…. TRANSFOOOORRRMMMMMMM!"

Inoue leapt up to clap her hands enthusiastically, "WOW! Amazing! Can I do that too?"

"Of course, Inoue-san!" replied Urahara in a likewise perky manner "I didn't forget about you! The transformation phrase will activate your cloaking apparatus – to hide you from shinigami and humans!"

"That was wonderful, I always wanted to be a SUPERHERO!" The buxom female cried out as she placed one foot on the table "Then I'll use Tsubaki to hit and slice hollows! I'll protect and defend my comrades, and I will be their official team healer!"

"That's the spirit, Inoue-san!"

Ishida's jaw dropped as he looked at the two in horror. "Can we just leave the hollows to the other shinigamis? I need to focus on my clothing designs."

"I am now glad I haven't recovered my reiatasu." Rukia murmured to the side, eyeing the phones with disgust and loathing.

Beside them, Ichigo banged his head on the table repeatedly "I should have just stayed in the 10th division and let them execute me at the Soukyoku Hill."

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Yes, I am going on hiatus, but somehow… the reviews for the previous chapter really made me up the ante; which means I cut back my sleeping hours to write. Seriously, you guys are now making me take back my words earlier, so here is the last chapter for this month. Something to tide you over until I can update again by August (hopefully).

The idea for this hit me while I was commuting to work. As soon as I fancied Urahara bringing out the phones, my mind took on a route on its own. I had to pinch my leg so as not to howl in laughter. I don't think it worked properly; I think I traumatized a few passengers by snorting and giggling like Isshin… I hope you guys found it funny because I did; if it didn't it means my sense of humor is way too pathetic.

Please review if you did, review if it didn't. Look mom, no cliffies for today! Just you guys wait, I'll be back with a cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers… **sinister laugh**

Yes, though the phone seems like that of the _headband of justice_ or something that Urahara gave to Ichigo when he was regaining his shinigami powers; in actuality, the phones were my homage of sorts to a certain Sentai show of Tacchan (a.k.a. the bishounen who will be fated to play Kurosaki Ichigo in the Burimyu) where he had this weird badge thing that transforms him to a superhero. **Recklessflight**, I know you were waiting for this reference a LONG TIME ago. LOL.

As for the 'making out' between IchiRuki… Surely I'll be hearing naughty remarks from my e-family about repressed desires to write lemons or something.


	16. Chapter 16

Heart's Desire Chapter 16By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: Still a T until further notice!

Disclaimer: Me no own Bleach! I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know.

Summary: On the run from Seiretei, Ichigo, Rukia, Inoue, and Ishida arrive at Karakura to meet Urahara Kisuke and attempt to live like humans. Now, with the help of Urahara's gadgets, the hollows better be wary of the new shinigamis in town.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

_**Rukia's hand clenched the phone. She wasn't fully recovered yet. Stupid phone, stupid settings. Low signal, medium signal, high signal – lame terms. Couldn't Uurahara get anymore creative and develop something cool-sounding that helps speed the return of reiatsu?**_

"_**Oi. Which button will we press for it to be activated?" Ichigo asked after he looked back at Rukia, checking if she was alright. Well, she looked mightily pissed and he couldn't blame her.**_

"_**Ah! I'm glad you asked!" Urahara said brightly, as if eager to dispel the lingering dark cloud that loomed above him; courtesy of one mad shinigami. "All you need to do is dial 1; press send button; raise the phone, shout the transformation phrase and clip it on your robes after turning into shinigmi! Its actually very easy!"**_

"_**And just WHAT is it?"**_

_**Urahara smiled at Ichigo before he cleared his throat a few times. "Ahem…" Then, taking a deep breath, he shouted in a falsetto voice "Guardian of Peace, Truth, and Justice! Protector of the weak! Defender of the Innocent! Scourge of Evil! Let the Power of God Descend and Cloak me! Shinigami Power-Up… Initializing…. TRANSFOOOORRRMMMMMMM!"**_

_**Inoue leapt up to clap her hands enthusiastically, "WOW! Amazing! Can I do that too?"**_

"_**Of course, Inoue-san!" replied Urahara in a likewise perky manner "I didn't forget about you! The transformation phrase will activate your cloaking apparatus – to hide you from shinigami and humans!"**_

"_**That was wonderful, I always wanted to be a SUPERHERO!" The buxom female cried out as she placed one foot on the table "Then I'll use Tsubaki to hit and slice hollows! I'll protect and defend my comrades, and I will be their official team healer!"**_

"_**That's the spirit, Inoue-san!"**_

_**Ishida's jaw dropped as he looked at the two in horror. "Can we just leave the hollows to the other shinigamis? I need to focus on my clothing designs."**_

"_**I am now glad I haven't recovered my reiatasu." Rukia murmured to the side, eyeing the phones with disgust and loathing.**_

_**Beside them, Ichigo banged his head on the table repeatedly "I should have just stayed in the 10**__**th**__** division and let them execute me at the Soukyoku Hill."**_

…

…

…

The damned phone was beeping madly.

"OH!" Inoue cried out as she whipped her phone out "Look everyone – it's a hollow, just a couple of blocks from here!"

Ishida pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose as Ichigo muttered "Well good luck to the shinigami there."

"There isn't any!" Came Inoue's excited voice. She then turned to Rukia "Shall we go and help out?"

Rukia looked on ahead "I don't have enough reiatsu." She said. Pausing for a split-second, she frowned a bit, as if in deep thought. "Why not ask Ishida or Ichigo, instead? I'm sure they can turn into their shinigami forms."

Behind her, Ichigo glared as hard as he could. Bitch.

Urahara (who was walking them home) laughed gaily. "Oh, Kurosaki-kun, Ishida-kun; weren't you two so excited to use your shinigami abilities once more? This is the perfect opportunity!"

"No freaking hell, Urahara!" Snarled Ichigo "Like I'd give you the opportunity to make me look like a fool."

"Idiot!" Exclaimed Rukia, as she turned around and jumped to whap him behind his head. "And you call yourself a shinigami taicho! How dare you take your duty less seriously asshole?"

Looming over Rukia, Ichigo shouted "Oh? Like I see you jumping on the chance to play hero? I thought you were all-too-willing to act rashly just for _DUTY_?"

"Just take out the damn phone and transform!" she gritted out.

"Hell no!"

"Do it!"

"NO!"

"Don't make me open a can of whoopass, Ichigo."

Ichigo snorted before looking down at his wife "Is that supposed to scare me, Rukia? 'coz you know, when you're UP here, things look pretty much different." He sneered. "Am I supposed to cower now and –

WHAM! Rukia launched herself onto Ichigo, throwing both of them a couple of feet backwards. Landing on top of him, she then proceeded to beat him.

"Ah! Marriage – full of bliss is it not, eh Yoruichi?" chuckled Urahara as he and the others watched with interest as Rukia attempted to punch a hole in Ichigo's gut while the other squirmed and tried to push her off him.

"Asshole!"

"Midget!"

"Jerk!"

"Stuck-up bitch!"

"Bastard!"

"Lunatic!"

"Kisuke," mused Yoruichi "I don't think that you're seeing a variation of S&M here."

Finally, Ichigo was able to throw Rukia off him as he stood up. "All right, you harpy! All right! I'll do it, okay?"

"Ah, its so easy to predict who'll be the one to wear the pants in this relationship." Urahara stage-whispered to the others.

Giving the shop owner a glare, Ichigo took out the red phone grudgingly from his pockets. "Do I really have to?" he asked in a whine that clearly conveyed his opinions on the matter.

Urahara shrugged "I'm sure the souls can wait for a moment while you debate and gather courage to use it, Kurosaki-kun." He said blandly, as if they were discussing the merits of using a plasma TV over a regular flat-screen one.

"The moment I get a chance, you're dead, Urahara – you got it?" Ichigo ground out "Oi, Ishida; get your phone."

Ishida debated on whether or not mentioning that since they were not officially shinigami of the 14th division anymore – Ichigo's orders do not really have that much merit. However, the expectant look in Inoue's eyes made him take out his blue phone. With a heavy sigh, he opened the clam-shell cover. The screen showed that he had enough reiatsu to transform and that there were really no other shinigami aside from them present. Oh bullshit…

"Now make sure you say it loud and clear – this is important." Urahara stressed, waving his fan under their noses. "Now, raise the phone up and say the needed words!"

Ichigo and Ishida looked at each other for a while. Then, they raised the phones awkwardly up in the air (a bit lower than what Urahara may have liked, but hey, you can't always get what you want) and said – or mumbled, if that was the case – "Guardian of Peace, Truth, and Justice…Protector of the weak…. Defender of the Innocent… Scourge of Evil… Let the Power of God Descend and Cloak me… Shinigami Power-Up… Initializing…. TRANSFOOOORRRMMMMMMM!"

Then out burst a light that was so intense, the others needed to close their eyes or shield them for a while. It seemed that the wind became stronger for a moment. And when it was over, Ichigo and Ishida stood in the middle, in their shinigami forms, gigais nowhere to be seen.

What was surprising was that the others were not sensing any reiatsu. Despite the fact that you could literally see reiraku ooze out of their pores.

Ichigo flexed his hands experimentally "Are you sure we won't be recognized?"

"Postive." Urahara said "Next time, make it a bit more snappy. You know like in those Sunday Super Sentai shows on TV. More shouting and more hand gestures." He reminded them, as he stood up in a pose that was even weirder than Don Kanonji's "Like this."

"Wither and die, geta-boshi." Snarled Ichigo as he and Ishida spun around to run after the hollow.

"We should go and be the back-up, Rukia-san." Inoue suggested.

Surprisingly, Rukia agreed and soon, they were running after the two at full speed.

Yoruichi chuckled "I didn't know that they'd DO it, Kisuke. The expressions were priceless."

"Not as much as this." Urahara said, laughing as he held up a small video camera hidden under his sleeves. "I got it all on tape!"

The two burst out laughing like crazy.

…

…

…

The hollow roared loudly, sensing the presence of a soul. Ahead, it spied the ghost of a young man looking around him with a confused expression on its face. Judging by the way it was touching the chain dangling in front of its chest in a fidgety manner, the soul just got out of its body.

Smiling in a way that only a predator knows how, the hollow jumped from the building and proceeded to make its way to the still shocked soul. Stopping suddenly, it noticed the foul stench of another hollow that was ambling towards the same direction. Snarling, the hollow decided to run – there was no way anyone else would get the meal standing on the street.

Nearing the soul, the hollow then saw the other hollow emerge from the corner. Before it can even run, there was a blinding blue light that burst from behind, hitting the other and purifying it as it roared in frustration.

What was it? The hollow asked itself. Where did it come from, because the moment it turned around, no one – nothing was there? Except for two women who were watching intently. Was it them?

Suddenly a blur appeared just ahead of him, to where the wandering soul was still standing. It was of a man, with glasses and dark hair, wearing… shinigami clothing? But it wasn't holding a zanpaktuô, not at all. Rather, it had a slim silver bow on its right hand.

"SHINIGAMI WILL DIE!" Roared the hollow as it sprinted towards the bespectacled shinigami. "SOUL WILL DIE."

"Not today, buddy." Someone said from behind.

Turning, the hollow saw orange – a whole lot of orange standing right in front of its eyes. After a second, a face registered. It was smirking as it held up a cleaver-like zanpaktuô, which it swung down and –

…

…

…

Ichigo landed on his feet just as particles from the hollow disappeared. "Oi, Ishida – get the soul, will you?"

Behind them, Inoue was clapping like there was no tomorrow. "That was so cool! It looked wonderful!" spinning, she faced Rukia "Impressive, wasn't it? Two shinigamis fighting against the forces of evil, saving souls and damsels in distress –

"Inoue, I don't see a damsel in distress here, do you?" Rukia asked dryly as she eyed the soul burial.

"Not now of course, but soon there will be." Inoue said confidently. "Kurosaki-kun and Ishida-kun will rescue a fair maiden, a princess from the clutches of an evil overlord with an army of dragons all breathing fire and smelling like brimstone. Then… the princess will fall into a slumber that only the kiss of a… of a…" she trailed, just as a thought occurred.

They weren't friends for nothing, because Rukia immediately knew what she was thinking. "Ishida-kun needs to kiss the princess?" she asked gently. "Is Ishida-kun the prince?" because definitely, Ichigo wasn't. More of a… knight in tarnished armor perhaps… or a mercenary… whatever.

Inoue frowned as she looked at the tips of her shoes. "Well… he does seem princely…"

"So he has to kiss the princess?"

"Yeah." Inoue said forlornly, in a small voice.

Rukia glanced at her friend. "Well then, we definitely have to protect you, right?"

"Eh?"

"Orihime. Princess. Yup," Rukia said as she nodded at Ishida "He definitely has to protect you – after all, he's the prince."

Inoue did not reply, but the faint reddening of her cheeks was answer enough to what she thought of the idea. "Thank you, Rukia-san." She whispered quietly "You seem to know what to say."

"Ah." Rukia suddenly said as she looked at the phone. "There's another hollow two blocks from here. OI! ICHIGO!" she called out, "move out to the next one!" turning to Inoue, she held out her hand "Well, shall we go and see to it that we're there to provide back-up?"

…

…

…

Fighting hollows made him think about a lot of things. Ichigo mused as he stepped out of the bathroom, wiping his face with a towel. There were some things he took for granted, and the source of his abilities were one of them.

Back at Seiretei, Ichigo trained hard in order to maintain his ability at taicho-level, and he was able to reap the fruits of his tiresome labor, enabling him to draw out his powers easily, effortlessly. He was often considered to be one of Soul Society's best because of his knack of having multiple unknown reiatsu reserves which he often tapped into when fighting. He could easily regain his strength even after fighting continuously for an extended period of time with just a moment's rest.

Today however, Ichigo's energy reserves were practically useless, considering that he only had 30 minutes to spare before he became useless in battle. What would happen then if he faced of with a vasto lorde (which was highly unlikely) in Karakura? What if it happened after he already used half of the limit he was given? Repressing a shudder, Ichigo scowled.

It meant training; additional training for him. There really was no time to mope about what could happen – especially if Rukia made another stupid attempt to join in the fray like she did earlier. The midget was lucky the hollow was a small fry and that her kidō confused it for a moment, giving Ichigo enough time to hack it.

Hell, keeping track of the damned woman was already taking most of his energy in the process. If Ichigo didn't shape up, he'd be looking at the pointy end of Byakuya's Senbonzakura when he finds out that a hollow ate his sister. Yes, tomorrow would be a good day as any to practice and workout. Running around Karakura would be a good idea, and he'd better do it in the morning before the sun was up, so as not to make people wonder about his speed and the number of times he ran around. Also, if he pushed the

stuff in the tool shed to the side, he might have enough space to install weights or something.

As he climbed up the stairs to the bedroom, Ichigo groused that life would have been easier if Rukia just stayed at home to be safe instead of looking around for a job in a restaurant.

Opening the door, he chanced upon a peculiar sight. Rukia was perched on a stepladder he made, and she was struggling to refasten the cover she had him place over the mirror of their bed's canopy. Judging by the looks of it, the said cover fell off again. "That's going to fall off again later and you know it." He said dryly as he looked on with amusement.

"Then you obviously have to put it up again." Came Rukia's dry response.

Pajamas. Rukia in pajamas was definitely a funny sight.

"One day that's going to drop down and smother us to death in our sleep."

"We're already dead. And if you have a problem with it, make a solution." She admonished "I fail to see why you made a bed for Inoue and Ishida when you didn't even take the time to saw off these annoying posts."

"I'm not used to making a bed yet." Groused Ichigo as he stalked off to his side of the humongous bed. "Unless you want to fall off from your side."

"Wiseass." Rukia started, looking at him to glare. Then: "WHY AREN'T YOU WEARING A SHIRT?"

"Jeez woman, I'm sure there isn't anyone in Karakura who didn't hear you." Complained Ichigo. "The air conditioner is busted and it's hot."

"Then why don't you turn on the fan?"

"It's already on, and haven't you heard of El Nino?"

"Open a damn window then." Came the retort.

"This isn't like in Seiretei where you can just fling open your window, Rukia." He reasoned, "You don't know the place well to let your guard down."

"Propriety, Ichigo, haven't you heard of it?"

"Oi, stop with all that Kuchiki proper behavior lessons, Rukia. You're making my headache worsen."

Angrily, Rukia slowly stepped down to the floor "Perhaps if you tried to behave like a civilized person, we might have gotten along easily." She said as she climbed to her side of the bed. As usual, there were pillows between them, to prevent him from encroaching her sleeping space. Quickly, she closed her eyes and hoped that sleep would come and take her away.

…

…

…

"You know, I think that I should sleep on the floor." Ishida said as he stood by the bed.

Inoue paused from arranging the pillows to look at him curiously, "Is this because I pushed you off the bed last night? I'm really sorry, Ishida-kun, but I'm not a pleasant sleeper. Did you get hurt?"

Ishida shook his head. "No, not really. Its just that… this isn't proper."

"Proper?" Inoue asked in confusion "But it would be improper if I let you sleep on the floor when we have a bed."

Trying hard not to flush as she said 'we' as if they were in an intimate relationship, Ishida unconsciously grimaced. "Inoue-san, you are unmarried and –

"Or is this because I hugged you last night?" she asked, making him turn even more red in the face "Because it was accidental – I swear. I'm really used to sleep with a stuffed bear, Rukia-san gave me and I miss it so much." She looked at Ishida with horrified eyes "I promise not to do it again! I wasn't taking advantage of you or anything!"

Inoue-san really was naive. Ishida thought with a slight trace of panic. SHE was taking advantage of HIM? Preposterous! As he spied her nightgown-clad form (and what an impressive form it was), he quickly diverted his eyes to a chair standing beside the window. It was safer that way. There was no way he was going to behave like a pervert like Urahara; and neither would he act like a maniac like Kurosaki and just grab Inoue-san. No, no, no. It certainly will not do.

"Ishida-kun. Come back to bed so I can turn off the lights and get some sleep." Inoue said sleepily.

Damn. Did she have to phrase it THAT way?

Quietly, he settled on his side of the bed, closing his eye. It was somewhat fortunate that Kurosaki made a bigger bed. The last one they had was a bit… cramped. He was sure Urahara got a field day laughing over it. One of these days, he'll definitely make him pay…

"Ishida-kun?"

Ishida opened one eye to take a peek… and almost had a heart attack.

"Ishida-kun?"

Because there was Inoue-san, leaning over him.

…

…

…

It was a barely audible thump. Normally, it could be ignored; after all it was just a random thump, wasn't it?

But then there was another thump. The walls were really thin. Then there were faint sounds of creaking. As a carpenter, Ichigo knew that the bed next door had been installed with rollers to move it around the room easily. Now he swears that the bed was rolling slightly – based on the sounds, that is.

Then another thump; this time louder, as if… the headboard banged against the wall.

"_Ishida-kun!"_

Without another word, Ichigo's eyes flew open. What the hell?

"_A bit more push please, Ishida-kun." _

That was Inoue, wasn't it? Why was her voice sounding… breathy all of a sudden?

"_That okay enough for you, Inoue-san?"_

Hell no! Suddenly Ichigo was wide-awake, sitting upright like a hollow appeared beside him.

"_Push a bit more harder, Ishida-kun."_

"Oh, now you're awake." Hissed a tousled Rukia beside him. Like him, she was wide-eyed and carried an extremely confused and angry expression on her face. Angrily, she kneeled and turned around; intent on letting the two next door know that they had an audience.

Suddenly, Ichigo grabbed her arm "Are you nuts?" he whispered in panic "Don't let them know you're awake!"

"What the hell?" she shot back, in a similar vein "Your friend is getting my friend debauched and you're telling me not to let them know that I know it?"

"It's embarrassing to let him know that!"

"And its not embarrassing that we KNOW what they're doing? Pervert! You're encouraging him!"

Ichigo glared, his face a bit red "Idiot!" he hissed back, "You're not even sure if they're doing what you think they're doing!"

"_YES, Ishida-kun! That's it!"_ came Inoue's voice, sounding oddly… excited about something.

"Wait, Inoue-san… not… yet…"

Boggle-eyed, Rukia grabbed Ichigo by the shoulders and shook him furiously "Isn't that proof enough?" she hissed "What do you propose to do now, bastard, let them continue?"

"Are you saying we get them to stop?" he groused back. Damn that Ishida and his hormones. Couldn't he be more… discreet and quiet? "I can't believe he's getting laid." He mumbled in a baffled tone. "Ishida's getting laid…"

Suddenly, Rukia slapped him across the face "Pervert!" she gritted out "That's my friend he's with!"

There were more noises, more so with the headboard slamming against the wall. With each sound, Rukia's eyes bugged out in horror and mortification. If it wasn't embarrassing for him, Ichigo would have laughed at her face.

Except that Ishida was getting laid.

"Push more, Ishida-kun!"

"_Really, Inoue-san, the way you're doing it, its not helping us in anyway." _

Oh god, this was ridiculous. Ichigo tried to clear his head before it started making images as to WHAT Ishida meant by THAT.

"I ought to go there and…" Rukia started to say as she tried to climb off the bed, but stopped. Wryly she shook her head at her insane idea. "I so do not want to see them right now."

He was the one married here and Ishida was the one getting laid. Stealing a glance at Rukia, he winced. She looked like a mess, wearing freaking _yellow, checkered _pajamas, and that was not his image of sexy – not in a million years. Hell, she was bossy, loud-mouthed, stuck-up, cold, unfeeling, short, temperamental –

Sleepily, Rukia wiped at the corner of her eye as she suppressed a yawn. "Damn; I better talk to Inoue about that habit of hers to sleep without any light." Turning to Ichigo, she asked "You ARE going to talk to your fukutaicho about this, right? I mean, I'm pretty sure its consensual and all. They're adults and they can make decisions on their own –

Her still sleep-glazed eyes blinked twice. Damn, Ichigo cursed inwardly, he did not just find it cute.

Well, at least cute was okay. Cute can be lumped into the category of Yuzu and puppies. Definitely it was safer if he just saw her as cute. Because the last time he didn't, he ended up necking her!

"- But I so don't want to KNOW what they're doing. Not if I want to end up having nightmares for weeks. Then I'd be unable to look at them because all I'll be thinking of is that they're having a sexual relationship." Mumbled Rukia as she threw back her head slightly and sighed in annoyance. "That's just gross and too much information."

Oh god. Her neck. Just how much of a bitch could she be? Why was it the she taunted him like hell anyway? Exposing her throat like that to him… did she have no idea how –

"Oh damn." Rukia sighed, feeling the kinks in her back muscles. To loosen them somewhat, she arched her back for a while. Trying to fight hollows while in a gigai was a real pain.

Ichigo's hand clenched as he glared at Rukia.

"What?" she asked, eyes narrowing. "What got you in a snit?" She leaned in for a bit, causing the collar of her pajama top to slide a bit off her shoulder, showing a teasing glimpse of white skin.

That was it! She was officially tempting him! Ichigo's mind cried out as it snapped. His hands immediately shot out to grab her, pulling a wide-eyed Rukia straight to him. Oh, did she think she could get away like that easily?

"Ichigo? What -

"Ishida-kun, not like that!" Inoue's annoyed whine wafted through the wall.

"_I'm doing my best, here Inoue-san."_ Ishida said helplessly. _"This is all Kurosaki's fault!"_

At those words, Ichigo's hand dropped from Rukia's arm, causing her to be sprawled over the pillows "What the hell?" he snarled.

"Do not bring Kurosaki-kun in this, Ishida-kun! Don't hurt his and Rukia-san's feeling by blaming him!"

Damn straight!

Blowing the bangs off her face, Rukia looked wryly at Ichigo from her position "What did you do this time, Ichigo?" she asked in part morbid curiosity, part amusement.

"The hell should I know!" Ichigo thundered, not caring if he woke the entire neighborhood.

From the opposite wall, Inoue suddenly spoke out _"Oh, did we wake you two up? We're really sorry!"_ She apologized cheerfully.

"Pipe down, will you?" shouted Ichigo, as he pounded at the wall "Some people are trying to get some sleep. If you two want to have se –

His words were cut off as Rukia immediately pounced at him to cover his mouth with he dainty hands, causing them to fall, flailing limbs on top of each other, on the bed.

…

…

…

"Oh my." Inoue said, her face red as she heard the thump resound from the opposite wall. "Whatever are they doing, Ishida-kun?" she whispered.

Ishida grunted as he pushed the heavy mattress. "I don't know and I don't want to know, Inoue-san."

"Oh dear…"

"Look, this is apparently another reason why I should sleep on the floor." Ishida said quietly as he continued to fix the bed. "The legs on my side don't have the same height with the ones on yours. The mattress will continue to slide off unless the bed itself is fixed." He explained as he double-checked the bed to see if it was in its original position.

Shaking his head, Ishida gave the bed one last push to settle it against the wall before he moved on to set the mattress back in its proper position. "If I were to sleep here as well, I might risk tilting the bed more and it may break the frame. The wheels were a good addition so we can move it easier. But as its not fixed to stay immobile, we could end up pushing the bed against the nightstand again."

"Or we could remove the other furniture out of the way and have a rolling bed!" suggested Inoue. "Won't that be nice?"

Ishida chuckled. "That won't do; Kurosaki definitely has to fix this tomorrow." He told her as he stood up "Ow…my back hurts like hell."

…

…

…

Due to circumstances beyond his control, he was back in the place he never expected to be in sooner. True, he would much rather be here than anywhere else, but he had duties that needed his immediate attention.

No one dared to disturb him anyway. It was a blessing that he relished as he continued on his planned tasks, working silently behind his desk. So he worked, from the moment the sun was just taking its place in the sky, to the time it slumbered and faded into oblivion. The faster he finished this, the better.

Even Renji was uncharacteristically quiet today. And though such an event was a reason for celebration, he knew his fukutaicho well enough to understand that he was holding back so many things to say that he was in danger of imploding.

"That will be all for today, Renji. You may go now."

Renji darted a furtive glance at him "Taicho…"

"There is no news about Rukia yet."

"But taicho…"

"She will be found, Renji." He said, sensing the nervous worry in his fukutaicho's posture. _Better later than sooner_, he added silently before he squelched any thought about his sister.

Slowly Renji stood "Well… if there's nothing else, I'll be going on ahead, Taicho."

"Indeed." He replied quietly. "Be sure to be back early tomorrow, there are much reports to be finished."

"Yes taicho. Good night."

As his fukutaicho left the room, Kuchiki Byakuya resumed his task, focusing on it than on the previous conversation. He was not supposed to think of such things. He was a taicho of the 6th division and he was a noble clan's head. Lawbreakers should be punished accordingly.

Familial ties notwithstanding.

Rukia, like Kurosaki Ichigo was branded as a traitor. What was worse was that she was also the primary suspect of Aizen taicho's murder. As it was, she and Kurosaki already had enough shinigami looking for them. However, if Hinamori fukutaicho had her way, the whole of 5th division would have gone to the living world looking for her.

Luckily they were still at war with Hueco Mundo. If they had enough manpower at their disposal…

Byakuya let the thought trail away. Thinking about his sister escaping Seiretei's forces was betrayal enough in his book. As a taicho of Gotei 14, he had no business placing a petition in favor of Rukia. Neither would he offer to head the investigation probing Aizen taicho's untimely demise. He would leave that to the 10th.

His eyes narrowed imperceptibly. Was this Kurosaki's doing? Did he put Rukia up to kill Aizen as they were escaping in order to draw attention away from him? There had to be a motive and there had to be another person who killed Aizen. Because Byakuya did not believe for a moment that Rukia did it. Realistically speaking, her level of abilities were not even fukutaicho class, it would be next to impossible for her to kill a taicho of Aizen's caliber. He was her mentor, he knew more than her as he knew her limits.

It had been a mistake to let Rukia study kidō. It had been a mistake to allow her to be a shinigami in the first place.

He had been foolish to think that he could steer her away from danger by taking her off the list of potential candidates for seating promotion. She would have been far safer in the Kuchiki household, closeted and kept under the watchful eye of the council and himself.

There was nothing more he could do now.

"Hisana…" he murmured quietly, almost brokenly, as he looked at nothing in particular "Forgive me."

…

…

…

"Give me what I'm asking for and I will spare your mother." Aizen said in an unnervingly calm voice. "Can you do that, Ichigo-kun? Can you get me the hougyoku?"

_Ichigo shook his head "I don't know where it is…"_

"_Are you sure, Ichigo?" Aizen asked, a hint of restrained impatience coloring his tone. "Didn't your mother say that you have it?"_

_Confused, Ichigo looked at his mother's deadened eyes… they were saying nothing… nothing at all. "No… please… I don't know…"_

_As he looked up, he saw Aizen's eyes harden. "Give it to me, Ichigo."_

"_I don't have it!" persisted Ichigo in earnest, tears falling anew from his eyes "Mother… mother I don't have the hougyoku."_

"_Then give her to me."_

_Who?_

"_Ichigo." A voice called from beside him. Turning, Ichigo was surprised to see… Rukia._

_The shinigami was seated in a traditional seiza position, her dark head bowed. As if sensing his gaze, Rukia looked up, showing eyes full of unshed tears, holding a small, round thing in her small palms._

"_Rukia?" he asked in a surprised voice._

"_Ichigo." _

"_Ichigo-kun, give her to me now." Aizen said._

"_Ichigo."_

Suddenly, Ichigo was wide-awake. Blinking, he frowned as he realized he didn't end the nightmare by screaming or thrashing. Hell, even his breathing was within the boundaries of normalcy.

Surely what he had was the strangest of all dreams. True, his dreams often made him see the scene differently (Unohana taicho once mentioned that his dreams were often his escape from the harsh reality of what happened to his mother), such as talking to Aizen and hearing about the hougyoku. However, tonight's version really got the vote of weirdness because it had Rukia in it.

Rukia. Come to think of it… Ichigo turned slowly, raising himself on his elbow slightly to peer behind the wall of pillows. Only to find a midget-sized form missing from its customary position.

Jeeze, Kurosaki, Ichigo thought to himself, customary? It sounded really bad, like he was a pervert, as if he had been looking at his sleeping wife these past few nights. Well, it was true anyway. Not the pervert part, but the checking up part. He just wanted to be sure she was safe after all, was it wrong? In the first place, it was because of him that she was in a predicament like this, so it was obviously, his responsibility to watch out for her.

Speaking of which, where was she anyway? It couldn't have been a hollow – his own phone would have waked him with a shrill alarm.

Feeling his eyes adjust to the dimness of the room he realizes two things: One, the curtain covering the window was parted slightly, letting in a white glimmer of moonlight. Two: Rukia was seated at the bay window, looking out into the night.

Quietly, with all the shinigami skills honed in battle, Ichigo made his way out of the bed to slowly creep behind his wife. He didn't want to disturb her by making noises; plus the reaction on her face when she realizes she didn't even sense him was going to be priceless.

Once he was directly beside her, hidden by the shadow of the heavy curtain, Ichigo realized that only a hollow in front of her would get her attention. Rukia was looking at nothing and everything at the same time. Her violet eyes were unfocused and almost murky, yet she seemed to be seeing something tangible only to her. There was a melancholy air about her that only served to reinforce her seeming vulnerability as she sat there, enveloped by the fabric of her pajamas.

Ichigo's eyes fell on Rukia's lap. She was holding, in both hands, a small glass dome. With a second glance, he knew what it was: a snow globe. He wondered where she got it. Though he was aware that his father packed some keepsakes for her, it was highly impossible that it came from Seiretei.

"A snow globe?"

Rukia flinched as she gasped "Ichigo?" she cried out in surprise "What – Why – Why are you awake already?"

"Couldn't sleep." Came the reply as Ichigo pushed aside the curtain so he could sit down as well. He nudged Rukia's feet further against the glass before he leaned back comfortably "You're supposed to be asleep."

Rukia raised an eyebrow. Okay, so this was a mature conversation, no need for her to snap back at him. She frowned "May I ask when my sleeping habits became your business?"

Gods, this man was annoying, butting in where he was not welcome. Couldn't she get a moment's peace where she could just think back on her actions? Did he think it was funny to pry?

"You'll get premature wrinkles, you know." Ichigo said dryly as he pushed an index finger against Rukia's forehead.

"You're older than me, remember? You'll get wrinkles first just because of your god-awful scowling." She retorted back, matching his glare. Immature bastard, acting like a damn 15 year old. He even looked like one, for crying out loud. Was there any warranty to the damn gigai Urahara gave them? Rukia was starting to be suspicious that they looked like teenagers when a woman asked her yesterday why she wasn't at school.

A quick glance at Ichigo's finely developed shoulders squashed the idea that THEY looked like teenagers. It was probably just her anyway.

"Get some sleep, Rukia." Ordered Ichigo.

"I'm fine… I'm not sleepy."

Ichigo frowned. "I realize this galls your pride but –

"Stop, Ichigo. If you're going to talk about me not going after hollows, or just staying at home to pretend I'm a housewife, spare me." Rukia said flatly, getting too irritated to think about her words.

"Bitch." He said bitterly "If you faint from exhaustion, don't expect me to haul your ass back home."

"Didn't expect anything from you – bastard." Rukia snarled back, rolling her in annoyance. Her hands once again touched the glass of the snow globe before she shook it.

"You bought a snow globe?" accused Ichigo as he looked at the offending item "Aren't we on a tight budget? You already bought a crapload of manga – trashy shoujo-y ones. Hell, you even bought a hentai!"

Rukia's face turned red. "I was just curious… besides, I haven't read it – yet."

Ichigo gaped "Curious?" About what? Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Ichigo wanted to blurt out that he was willing to explain _things_ if she only asked, but he restrained himself; knowing that he'd be called a pervert for a week or so.

Besides, explaining really wasn't in his agenda, more like…

"Yaoi." Rukia said flatly. "I heard people at the bookstore. These girls… they couldn't get enough of yaoi. Shonen-ai. Shota. The likes."

Feeling his face burn in embarrassment, Ichigo grimaced. Really, it was a good thing Rukia did not know how to use a computer yet. Urahara had shown him one, plus he demonstrated the use of the Internet. Unfortunately, his idea of a search topic was yaoi… or pictures of naked women. In hindsight, Ichigo should have at least chosen the naked pictures, or at least explained WHY he didn't want to see naked women. Not when he was living with the embodiment of cruel temptation 24/7. Now it would be embarrassing if Rukia caught him… cooling off. Or worse, catch him with a glazed look on his face. He'd rather get eaten by a menos than explain that the image of the woman starring in his recent fantasies were of a dark-haired, vertically challenged shinigami noble with violet eyes.

Urahara mock-cried that marriage might not be as blissful as he thought if Ichigo was – in his terms – playing for the same team.

"Don't read it, if you don't want your brain to fry and shut down." He said emphatically, suppressing a shudder. "Trust me, that's right up Urahara's alley."

Rukia's face showed revulsion. If it was something Urahara was aware of, chances are it WAS perverted. If it were, then why were people – decent looking girls at that – falling in line just to read it? It couldn't be THAT perverted, right?

Maybe she ought to take just a little peek.

"When did you buy that?" persisted Ichigo, cutting into Rukia's curious thoughts. "I thought we agreed not to buy anything without the other's approval. That snow globe looks expensive."

Rukia looked intently at the offending item. "I… I didn't buy it. Your father placed it in my pack."

"The old man gave you a snow globe?" Ichigo asked incredulously "That's highly unusual you know. Trinkets I can understand; perverted manuals, I can even expect; but a snow globe?"

Clutching the snow globe protectively over her chest, Rukia looked away for a moment before she lifted her eyes to stare at Ichigo. "No, your father didn't…. it wasn't from him. And no," she added, guessing correctly what he thought next. "nii-sama didn't buy it for me either."

"Hell, a rich admirer with no taste then." He groused, shaking his head.

"Idiot."

Ichigo's senses were immediately on alert. It was not like he was jealous or anything. Hell, it was in the past and it was an innocent gift. Why was she so damn secretive then when he was just asking? Unless… unless she thought that he'd be mad about it.

Which brings about the question: Why would he be mad about it? "Rukia. Aizen gave it to you, didn't he?" he asked tightly, half dreading that he was wrong, while the other half knew it was the right question.

The way Rukia held the snow globe closer was answer enough.

"Give it to me."

"No."

"Rukia," he gritted out "that THING is from Aizen. It could have something in it that will blow you up into pieces."

"This THING has none." She replied emphatically. "I had it with me for _months_ Ichigo. Don't be so damn paranoid. If he wanted to make it explode he would have done so already!"

Ichigo glared "Well I don't want it in the house!"

"Well I do, so leave it alone!"

"GIVE IT TO ME!"

Angrily, Rukia thrusted her hand out, holding the snow globe to him. "Take it then asshole!" she shouted, "Take the only thing I have to treasure from the only person who saw me as a good shinigami! Take the only remembrance I have of the person who gave me a chance when no one would or could!" Glaring, Rukia pushed the snow globe against Ichigo's chest harshly. "Break it, smash it, and throw it outside for all I care. It's from Aizen, so it's evil; never mind if it was Aizen who picked up the pieces in my life when no one was there to do so!"

Suddenly, Rukia felt her body tremble. To her mortification, she realized that she was close to breaking down in front of Ichigo. "Take it," she said hoarsely, dropping the snow globe on his lap as she stood up. "No matter what you think; for whatever fault he may have done, Aizen at least made me feel like I was wanted."

Without another word, she fled from the room to try and stop whatever tears that was threatening to fall.

Ichigo could only stare at the door after she slammed it shut.

…

…

…

**C. LeShay's corner:**

Ugh. There. Another royal spat for the married couple. Some OoC-ness for Rukia here. And melodrama – a lot of it. What the hell, add it anyway; I'm a firm believer in having a bit of melodrama in life to prevent it from being too boring.

Yes, we know Aizen manipulated Rukia, but look at it from her point of view before you say that she's overly dramatic. LOL. Truly, Aizen is such a sick person to twist anyone's emotions. Manga-wise, I can say that I understand Hinamori and why she went all cuckoo and stuff (no offense to Hinamori fans, I mean no disrespect), unable to believe how evil her beloved Taicho is. If anything, Rukia respected Aizen enough to stay engaged to him even if her instincts were warning her to stay far away.

But don't worry; we all need dirty laundry to be aired and its Rukia who has to go first. The girl has so many issues to be resolved before she can open her heart again. I know Ichigo has issues as well, but lets save his for later.

Sick, sick shinigami. ***Snickers***

Anyway, I promise that we will deal with more IchiRuki fluff and um… _stuff_ that will skirt the line between a T-rating and an M-rating. That is, until we get to the part where C. LeShay brings out the big guns.

Please review, okay; I seriously need it. The whole hiatus thing has become worse. Sometime during October, my muse just upped and left, leaving me alone in the dust. She's back at my old fandom with a vengeance, drooling over a certain Jedi master… while I sit in front of my PC looking blankly at the 1st part of chapter 17, wondering how the hell I'd be able to write it.

I pretty much have the whole story mapped out – I think I even know the ending already, and I already wrote the LEMON… but as for the drive to write continue – its pretty much gone. Sorry guys, so I guess the next update will be… dunno, December or January next year, unless my prodigal muse returns. Until then, my apologies to the regular readers.


	17. Chapter 17

Heart's Desire Chapter 17

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: Still a T until further notice!

Disclaimer: I don't profit from writing this fanfiction, just so you know. I don't get paid, nor do I ask to be. I only live on reviews. Yes, fics are actually very cheap. It's quite a bargain, really. You get a fic that easy, plus I throw in a few snarky comments once in a while. Loyal readers may actually get to read a lemon … soon.

So what are you waiting for? Send those reviews right now. This website is ready to take your messages. For a limited time only, C. LeShay will also **reply**. Forget those annoying writers who NEVER acknowledge your well-thought reviews; C. LeShay actually cares about you, enough to send a short note of thanks.

Replies may take from a day to a month. Updates much longer.

C. LeShay accepts standard English for reviews. Broken English for those taking ESL courses. Galactic Basic for Star Wars nuts out there. So pick up your keyboards right now.

**

Summary: On the run from Seiretei, Ichigo, Rukia, Inoue, and Ishida arrive at Karakura to meet Urahara Kisuke and attempt to live like humans. Now, with the help of Urahara's gadgets, the hollows better be wary of the new shinigamis in town.

**C. LeShay:** Took me a while to write again, so be forgiving if there are any eyebrow-raising discrepancies here. And uh… _**C. LeShay**_ makes a cameo appearance.

Dedicated to **bunnisteffi**, the e-great-great-grandma that kids can only dream of having.

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

"_**Rukia," he gritted out "that THING is from Aizen. It could have something in it that will blow you up into pieces."**_

"_**This THING has none." She replied emphatically. "I had it with me for months Ichigo. Don't be so damn paranoid. If he wanted to make it explode he would have done so already!"**_

_**Ichigo glared "Well I don't want it in the house!"**_

"_**Well I do, so leave it alone!"**_

"_**GIVE IT TO ME!"**_

_**Angrily, Rukia thrusted her hand out, holding the snow globe to him. "Take it then asshole!" she shouted, "Take the only thing I have to treasure from the only person who saw me as a good shinigami! Take the only remembrance I have of the person who gave me a chance when no one would or could!" Glaring, Rukia pushed the snow globe against Ichigo's chest harshly. "Break it, smash it, and throw it outside for all I care. It's from Aizen, so it's evil; never mind if it was Aizen who picked up the pieces in my life when no one was there to do so!"**_

_**Suddenly, Rukia felt her body tremble. To her mortification, she realized that she was close to breaking down in front of Ichigo. "Take it," she said hoarsely, dropping the snow globe on his lap as she stood up. "No matter what you think; for whatever fault he may have done, Aizen at least made me feel like I was wanted."**_

_**Without another word, she fled from the room to try and stop whatever tears that was threatening to fall.**_

_**Ichigo could only stare at the door after she slammed it shut.**_

….

…

…

Whatever scenario it was that she imagined, never in a hundred years did Rukia expect to see Aizen's gift intact. She was tempted to think that it was a dream, but the snow globe was really there, and in an undamaged condition.

After making breakfast, Rukia hurried to take a bath so she could go out and send her application to various stores in Karakura. It was really surprising that Ichigo was not in the house and that the snow globe was standing innocently on the nightstand.

Sighing, Rukia sat on the edge of the bed with the snow globe in her hands.

Mentally, she vowed to hide it somewhere safe. Though she was grateful that Ichigo gave it back to her, there was no telling if he would be as understanding when he saw it again. Considering that he hated Aizen with such intensity, Rukia was grateful he considered her feelings on the subject.

Rukia looked at the snow globe one more time before she carefully placed it in its box, which she in turn hid in her closet. Was Aizen taicho all right? She had absolutely no idea how the spell worked, as she blacked out just as she drew the words out. Yoruichi was unable to tell her anything except that it _might_ have worked.

In truth, she didn't believe one bit that it could cause Aizen taicho enough damage, as she herself knew it was weak. It probably stunned him to see her even attempt to try one. Shaking her head clear of the thoughts, Rukia focused on today's task instead. Grabbing her small tote bag, she made her way downstairs to the kitchen in time to notice someone sitting by the dining table.

"Inoue?" she called out, her face a bit red as her friend's cheerful face peered back at her.

"Good morning, Rukia-san!" she gushed out happily. "Did you have breakfast already?"

"Somewhat, yes." She replied vaguely, hoping Inoue wasn't offering to make her one. A close inspection at the other proved that Inoue was entirely too chipper than what was normal. Gods no, Rukia prayed silently. She hoped that this wasn't what she feared.

A woman basking in the feeling of having sex and wanting to share it to her friends.

Back in the Kuchiki estate, Rukia's silent demeanor and noiseless way of moving around made her an unexpected eavesdropper to the servants' gossips. One of the most frequent ones was, well – sex. It was unnerving to know who did whom, when, where, and why. Freaky conversations they were so she always made it a point to leave before the how came into play.

Maybe she should have stayed – perhaps the women knew about yaoi and they might have been a useful source of information.

"Aww," gushed Inoue "I'm sorry to hear that. I was actually wondering if you'd like to join me for breakfast at this new restaurant I passed by yesterday. You know – the one near the high school?"

Ah, mystery solved. "I haven't been there yet." Admitted Rukia, hiding the fact that she did intend to go there but was slightly discouraged with the idea of being nabbed and force to attend this school at gunpoint just because she looked like a teenaged girl.

"Well, lets go and try it!" enthused Inoue. "You should tell Kurosaki-kun about it so he won't worry about where you're going."

"He's not here."

Inoue shook her head "No, he is. I just heard someone in the workshop; it's got to be Kurosaki-kun. He and Ishida seem to have finished their daily morning jog-patrol early. Unless…" her expressive eyes conveyed nervousness "Unless that's not Kurosaki-kun in there!" she whispered, "Maybe it's a thief or a ghost that copies the form of live beings, or… maybe we should use the phones!"

Quirking an eyebrow in amusement, Rukia shook her head "Why don't you wait for me while I go tell Ichigo?"

"Oh, I guess that's fine." Giving her friend a critical glance, Inoue nodded "Well, I'm glad you look like you got enough sleep – I was afraid you had too much exuberant activities last night." She said in relief as she passed through the door, leaving Rukia gaping in befuddlement.

Exuberant activities? HER? Did Inoue even know what she was taking about?

With a shake of her head, she decided it didn't matter, and she went off to check on Ichigo. Carefully and quietly she walks to the workshop where she knows he would be. What meets her eyes shocks her into stopping.

There, standing under the sun, arranging the woodblocks into neat stacks was Ichigo.

Scratch that. A currently shirtless and decidedly sweaty Ichigo.

Oh dear gods. Rukia was glad his back was turned, because she was blushing in a way that outclasses all her other blushes.

Not to mention that Ichigo's shirtless back was exposed to her. His powerful body bent forward to grab a few blocks, his compact muscles moving, flexing, and showing the full physical effects of his daily, strict training regimen.

A thin sheen of sweat covered his defined, sleek arms; his strong broad shoulders glinting as the sunlight fell on it, warming his back. Perspiration trickled slowly down it, as if taking time to caress the impressive physique, as the moisture dipped along the curve of a slim waist, further down to tapered hips holding up worn track pants – before it disappeared further down to…

Holding back a telling squeak, Rukia whirled back into the safety of the wall, letting her back lean against it heavily. For goodness' sake, what the hell was she doing, ogling the man? Did she have no shame at all?

Okay, granted he was her husband… but really, it was no reason for her to moon over him like crazy. Right. She was stronger than this, Rukia told herself heatedly as she spun around to leave.

Unfortunately, she hit one of the makeshift shelves for some of the tools and it crashed down loudly.

Ichigo turned around. "Rukia?" he asked, as he spotted his wife standing with her hand in midair.

"Oh..." Rukia said weakly, as she felt her face flush red. "Well… about that I…

"Its fine." Ichigo said, as he walked by to the cramped shed to pick up the fallen tools. "Did you hurt yourself?" he asked curtly.

Wordlessly, Rukia shook her head.

"Excuse me." Ichigo said as he reached over to pick the measuring tape, leaning closer to her as he bent by her leg.

Heaven be merciful, at a closer look the man's physique was making her dumbstruck! Rukia could smell a bit of the sunshine that saturated what little clothing he wore; yet it did little to mask the scent of the laundry detergent that they often used; and there was a hint of the scent that was uniquely his.

If it weren't for the wall and the blocks that were blocking her way, Rukia would have bolted. "Um… Ichigo…" trailed Rukia, "Inoue and I are going to have breakfast out today." She paused, wondering just why she was here asking him politely. Guilt perhaps… "Just so you know." She added lamely.

"Fine." Came his terse reply.

Monosyllabic Ichigo makes an appearance once more. The man's mood was more unpredictable than that of a woman with PMS.

Rukia watched wordlessly as Ichigo arranged the fallen tools.

"Do you need something?" he asked gruffly, as if she was intruding his personal space.

"No – not really."

"Excuse me." He said absentmindedly as he replaced the shelf on its perch, unknowingly moving closer to box Rukia against the wall.

If it could not get any worse, the defined planes of his lower torso was now but a few inches away from her. He was so close, she could practically feel the heat radiate from his body.

Why was she suddenly riveted to the sheen of perspiration that was over his body?

"Is there something you need?" Ichigo asked impatiently, poised to move quickly and get back to his interrupted chores.

Rukia could feel the mounting horror grasp at her. "Y-y-you…" she stuttered.

Ichigo was halfway to moving aside when he went completely still. "Can you… repeat that?" he asked, as nonchalantly as he could. "I couldn't hear properly. You were whispering."

Mortified at herself, Rukia swallowed. "Y-y-you…. move… aside…." Rukia was able to spit out. "Claustrophobic…."

In an instant, Ichigo shuffled sideways, in time to see his wife pressed to the wall, breathing shallow and shaky.

And her face as red as a lobster.

Sourly, he glared, "Why didn't you say so?"

Rukia took a deep breath to calm herself before she returned his glare. "You were boxing me in, moron!"

"Bitch." He muttered darkly.

Ichigo never got any form of warning as a nearby plastic container whapped him on the side of his head.

****

Ichigo watched as his wife walked back to the house angrily. The woman can cook up a storm and he saw the destructive powers of a typhoon Rukia as she marched like she was going into battle. Back to the house to get her friend, obviously.

He hoped there weren't any hollows where she was going, because she looked like she could take them on even without her shinigami abilities.

After a moment, the door was once pushed open and Rukia went out followed by a hyper Inoue.

As Rukia stomped away, with grace no less, her skirt fluttered in the light morning breeze, showing a glimpse of her thighs for barely a second.

For Ichigo, barely a second was all it took. His body reacted once more. And reacted it did with a vengeance.

Damn, what was the woman doing to him? Just being near her turned him into a pervert like Keigo, getting all worked up and excited with just a teasing glimpse of her body. For someone who had more than a handful of woman jump at him in various stages of undress, he was supposed to be able to take it in stride, not act like a sick lothario who got off on such an innocent 'striptease'.

Ichigo almost lost it a few minutes ago when Rukia said that she needed him… to step aside. If he hadn't been concentrating enough to cause brain aneurism, he could have done the unthinkable and pounced on Rukia right there and then. For the love of Soul Society, his body had been craving her since that fateful night they kissed for the first time.

Scratch that, his body had been craving for her **even more** since that fateful night they kissed for the first time.

Never one for torturing himself over unnecessary things, Ichigo had surprised himself by showing so much patience and restraint that could put a saint to shame. They were married, for fuck's sake and here he was not even enjoying its benefits. All he did was take a cold shower after cold shower shower; it was a miracle he hasn't frozen to death yet!

If only it was a one-way thing, he would have understood the need for control and discipline. Unfortunately, Ichigo was attuned to desire – mutual desire. He could tell that Rukia was very curious. Hell, he was pretty sure she must have pondered on the idea of sex with him!

Sadly, he never did give her an opening, nor did he even toy with the idea of breaching the forbidden topic between them. They were adults and there was nothing wrong with uncomplicated sex once in a while.

But the minx deserved better, Ichigo thought ruefully. She was a Kuchiki engaged to Aizen, for fuck's sake; surely her brain had been screwed on differently. If only his mother didn't raise him to put a woman's sensibilities regarding sex over his gratification…

He sighed in irritation. Well, the bloody bitch needed consideration and something more than just a casual lay. Ichigo knew that Rukia was probably an emotionally attached woman. She may not agree, but the Kuchiki façade could only hide so much from her. Because really, what unfeeling woman would honor her engagement with a murderer? What uncaring person would dare fight for someone else even if it meant humiliation for her brother? Was there any selfish person who would lie and agree to play with his deception to protect the family of her enemy?

His respect for her was the reason why Ichigo did not even dare suggest a temporary liaison with Rukia just to assuage his hormones and his man-parts. She deserved better and if he fucked her, no one in polite society would consider her for marriage after this farce ended.

But damn if the idea wasn't tempting him terribly.

Ichigo had been half-afraid Rukia saw just how hard he was. Hell, he was half-afraid of it himself! After all, 'little Ichigo' never focused too much attention on a woman when she was wearing clothes.

If he reacted to her this way just be being beside her, Ichigo could not imagine how he would act should they get around to have actual sex and not this frustrating tension that followed them around.

It just might be the most incredible, mind-numbing sexual encounter he could have. Or the most embarrassing one, because he was almost certain he'd get an orgasm just by looking at her naked.

_Not helping._ An inner voice berated him and Ichigo sighed in annoyance at the still obvious and unrelenting evidence of just how turned on he had been. And it was getting so damn uncomfortable.

He looked back morosely at the unfinished chair. A moment later he headed back indoors. There was a problem he needed to take care of.

Freaking Hueco Mundo, he never jacked off this much before he met Rukia!

**

"Rukia-san?" Inoue asked innocently. "Is something wrong?"

"What are you talking about, Inoue?" Rukia huffed as she walked beside her friend. "Nothing is wrong with me."

Inoue sighed. Her friend might not know it, but she was obviously upset. Rukia's brow was furrowed and she was stomping.

Perhaps it had something to do with their 'activities' last night, the buxom woman thought seriously. After all, someone at the Kuchiki manor had once said that 'not all men can be satisfactory in bed. Some fumble like inexperienced younglings. While other rut so ceaselessly.'

"I'm sure Kurosaki-kun was just carried away." She said pensively.

"Eh?" Rukia asked in confusion. "He's being deliberately obtuse. He's doing this to spite me."

Now that was surprising, wondered Inoue. Kurosaki-kun was said to have had a favorable reputation regarding women in Seiretei – albeit it was spread about so discreetly. "I'm sure he'll be more gentle next time…"

Rukia snorted inelegantly. Ichigo? Be gentle and considerate about her feelings? Right, and Byakuya nii-sama would just drop out of the sky and tell her that she was his beloved and most important sister! "The insufferable man is a brute!"

Gasping, Inoue looked back at Rukia, eyes rounded. "Did – did he _hurt_ you, Rukia-san?" Immediately, her eyes took over her friend's form quickly, trying to see if there were any bruises or scratches at all. Surely, Kurosaki-kun didn't hurt her last night? Maybe not intentionally, but the man was more than twice Rukia's size!

Now it was Rukia's turn to give Inoue a surprised stare. "Really, Inoue, what do you think?" Ichigo would _never_ hurt her, at least physically and psychologically that is. After all, despite the man's continued warnings to strangle her, not once did she even read his body language to even twitch to hurt her.

She frowned at herself. Perhaps she had been quite rash to snap at him, after all.

"You're right. He didn't." Inoue said in relief. Goodness, perhaps she ought to ask Ishida to talk to his friend and remind him to be more considerate about Rukia's small size. Looking up, she burst into a delighted squeal "Look, we're here!"

"Soul Food?" mused Rukia. What a weird name for a restaurant.

"What do you think?" Inoue asked excitedly, "The place is wonderful, isn't it?"

Rukia frowned. "Inoue, are you sure about this place?"

She was entitled to have suspicions. After all, the restaurant named _Soul Food_ looked eerily a bit like the 13th division office back in their district. True, the paint and fixtures were very modern, but only a member of the 13th would see that the shape of the establishment was similar to that found in Seiretei.

What if shinigami made the same observation? Would Rukia find them in here?

Before she could voice out her concerns to Inoue, the auburn-haired woman had already opened the door.

Inoue smiled as she stepped inside the restaurant. "Come on, Rukia-san!" she enthused, ignoring her friend's frantic motioning for her to keep her voice down. "Let's go and try their beef ramen! They can add curry or bean paste if you want!"

Cautiously, Rukia chose the seat closest to the door. _Soul Food_ was not that much of a big establishment, but it had enough tables to seat about 50 people or so. Warily, her eyes took in her surroundings, looking for potential threats. So far, there were a couple of women having breakfast a few tables to her right; a family of three was enjoying the breakfast special by the window; and a young girl, fiddling with a laptop computer was drinking tea all by herself from across her. No one had reiatsu.

Being paranoid was understandable if you were a deserter of Soul Society and was married to a convicted felon.

A waiter walked towards them purposively and Rukia hastily grabbed her phone from inside her pocket. It was a woman with a shock of red hair and framed glasses.

"Good morning!" she greeted them cheerfully as she handed them both the menu; though her eyes were trained on Inoue's very generous breasts. "Welcome to _Soul Food_! I'm Chizuru, can I take your order?"

Inoue placed a finger beneath her chin as she mused on the selection. "Well…"

"Kirei!" gushed the waitress. "Order anything you want on the house!"

"Really?" Inoue cried out in amazement. "Wow! Are you sure that's okay?"

Chizuru nodded emphatically. "My boss told me to give a cute girl a free meal – provided you tell us your name!"

Inoue beamed. "Oh! Well… hello! I'm –

"We're paying." Rukia interrupted coldly, not looking up from the menu. "We'll take the beef ramen."

The waitress blinked. "Ah… oh, of course." She said, this time in a subdued tone. "Any drinks?"

"Just tea." Rukia said dismissively as she handed the menu back to Chizuru.

"Ne, Rukia-chan!" gushed out Inoue, oblivious to the horror of her friend for speaking out her name in such a suspicious-looking place. "This place is great, isn't it. I mean, its such a homey and relaxing restaurant."

Something here was clearly wrong, Rukia thought to herself. Her heart was racing nervously and she could feel cold sweat breaking out from her scalp. The establishment was making her worry about _something_. Like she shouldn't be here.

For a shinigami, instincts were very important. After all, it may only be the thing separating you from life or death.

The waitress returns, carrying a tray laden with two large bowls of steaming ramen. Against her will, Rukia felt her mouth water as the aroma of the beef and mild spices reached her. "Here you go ladies," Chizuru told them enthusiastically. "Our special beef ramen!"

Quickly, Inoue reached for the chopsticks. "Itadakimasu!" she said cheerfully as she tasted the noodles. "Hmmm." She mused thoughtfully, looking at the bowl carefully. "Something's missing…"

"WHAT?" a shocked Chizuru cried out. "Excuse me." She said politely as she pushed Inoue to the side. Her eyes scanned the bowl. "Ma'am, all of the ingredients have been accounted for – I am sure this will taste good."

Inoue smiled. "Oh but it already tastes great, Chizuru-san… I just missed putting my special ingredient…"

Chizuru's eyes boggled comically. "WHAT? You have special seasonings or something?"

"Top secret in fact."

Realizing how this one was going to end, Rukia took hold of her chopsticks and started to eat. "Wow." She muttered to the side. "This is incredible."

"I'm not sure if we carry the spices you wish…"

"Oh, but don't worry!" Inoue assured the frazzled waitress who looked like she would be pulling out all her hair in frustration. Digging into her pockets she pulled out a small bottle and generously spooned out a serving. Stirring it into the ramen, Inoue ate with obvious relish. "YUM!"

Curious, Chizuru leaned closer; trying to peer into the bottle.

Feeling immediate pity, Rukia decided to tell the other what the secret ingredient was – after all, it really was no secret. "That's red bean paste."

"Red bean…" Chizuru parroted before her face took on an unhealthy green hue. "Oh gods!" she whimpered as she dashed back to the kitchens, a hand covering her mouth.

Inoue was blissfully eating her ramen to notice anything. "You want to try the bean paste, Rukia?"

"I'll pass."

"I wonder if adding wasabe adds a kick to it…"

Rukia generously pushed towards her friend a small container that was in the middle of the table. "Here." At least she was used to Inoue's iron-lined stomach and short-circuited taste buds.

***

The workshop was a mess. Looking up _finally_ from the small chair he had just finished putting the last touches of intricate carvings, Ichigo was forced to admit that he had made a mess by littering the floor with wood shavings.

Great. Now Rukia would definitely be in a snit. Sighing, the shinigami taicho-in-hiding decided to grab the broom and tidy up the workshop before his wife got home. _Aw man…_ he muttered to himself as he stomped to the broom closet, _he was whipped._

The distinct sound of the door chime alerted him that he had customers. Propping the broom against the wall, Ichigo dusted his hands and walked to the store. His sight was met with a young brunette who was looking intently at the slender wall shelves that were hanging against the wall of the shop. "Can I help you with something?"

The girl jumped for about a feet as she whirled to face him.

This one was a jittery girl. And she reminded Ichigo of Inoue for a moment. "I'm sorry if I scared you." He said brusquely, not at all used to girls cowering at his presence. Although Karin once said, the women he couldn't charm – he frightened with his 'scowling mug'.

"I was just surprised."

Ichigo shrugs. This one was probably in her teens; with dark hair twisted back and held by a clip behind her head; taller by a few inches than Rukia; the girl blinked large eyes – with an unusual shade of reddish-brown – before she stared at him.

"Like any of those shelves?"

She nods carefully. "My… teacher is getting married… she loves to cook." Came the halting explanation, as if she was embarrassed to mention such things. "I figured she'd appreciate a spice rack." Pointing to a particular item, she asks "How much for this one?"

"How much do you have?" Ichigo asks bluntly. Hell, if the girl couldn't afford the price, she'd probably be more uncomfortable hearing it and telling him that she couldn't buy it at all.

Many times Ichigo finds that he loses more customers due to the prices Rukia sets than from dissatisfaction of his handiwork. That damn wife of his was a definite scalper all right. In that aspect, Ichigo admits that Rukia was more ruthless than Kuchiki Byakuya ever was.

The girl winces. "One hundred thousand yen…"

"Done. Do you want me to gift wrap it for your teacher?"

Her eyes widens considerably. "But… it's got to be worth a lot more."

Hell yeah; that particular item was one of Rukia's favorites. She probably figured out the said item would also catch others' eye and she doubled the asking price without qualm.

If that damned harpy ever found out he sold the rack for one thousand yen… "Yeah but its better to be sold for less than just left there, right?"

Let it be written that Kurosaki Ichigo was a reckless person…

The girl looked relieved before she smiled happily. "Gift wrapped, please."

Scratch it; Kurosaki Ichigo was a reckless, _idiotic_ person…

The girl looks at the small frames. "The details are amazing."

"You'd be surprised at what you can do if you have too much time on your hands." Ichigo tells her dismissively. And this is all too true. After many decades of training and fighting hollows, having the time to do weird things – like furniture making – is just a piece of cake after all.

Deftly, Ichigo places the rack in a large paper bag before he rings the purchase. Money changed hands and he then gives the item to the girl. "Here; give your teacher my regards."

"Oh thank you – I definitely will!" came the cheerful reply. "Ano…"

Fixing the other an intent look, Ichigo asks a curt "What?"

Clutching the handle of the paper bag tightly, the girl looks vaguely uncomfortable. "Can I ask if you accept specific orders?"

"You planning to commission me?"

She blushes before nodding.

"Not another spice rack, I presume?"

Shaking her head, the young girl stutters, "A b-bokken…"

Now this gets Ichigo's interest. A bokken. An honest to goodness bokken… "For whom?"

"Me." She says proudly. "I need a new one… the dojo doesn't have a stock on hand and my master… well…" she pauses uncomfortably. "I don't want to bother him to make me one… and it's very expensive if I order it somewhere…"

"Let me guess: One Thousand Yen?"

Another blush emerges. "Not really… mom has a small budget set aside… how does five thousand yen sound?" she asks hesitantly.

Rukia was going to scalp him. With her bare hands. "When do you need it?"

The girl looks up with surprise. "Next month."

Ichigo sighs as he rubs his chin pensively. Was there any way for him to sneak around to make one without Rukia noticing? Damn, but it was a bokken. It had been such a long time since he made one for Karin… it has also been a long time since he taught Karin the basics, resulting in a bump on his head.

"You take up Kendo? You serious about it?"

"I'm trying to qualify for the Inter-High." She said seriously, her eyes glinting with undiminished pride and determination. "I have to make it – I've been practicing for it all my life and this is my last year before college."

When was the last time Ichigo had seen anyone seriously make an effort to be the best? Heck, since they got here, the boringly monotonous life they all led was almost sending Ichigo into a state of catatonia. If it weren't for their stint in hunting hollows, he would fear entropy in his reiatsu.

"Fine." He tells her, finally resigned to his fate. "But you better not tell anyone about this. It's a secret, you hear?"

In excitement, the girl leans against the counter heavily. "I SWEAR!" she promises.

Her reaction is just so damn amusing that Ichigo chuckles. "Right. Then it will be ready in two weeks."

She looks at him like he just solved the problems of the world. "Arigato… ano…"

God, humans were just so… exuberant. "Ichigo. Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Arigato, Kurosaki-sama!" she cries, stepping back to give him a formal bow.

"Don't do that, girl. No -sama, you hear?"

"Hai… Kurosaki-san."

Ichigo gives her a pointed look.

The girl blushes in embarrassment. Realizing she made a faux pas by not introducing herself. "Errm.. Well… I'm Senna."

***

The Ramen was delicious and any reservations Rukia had were slowly dissipating. When Inoue suggested they order the gyoza – she was almost ready to proclaim _Soul Food_ as the best restaurant in Karakura. Even their homemade sweets were excellent; Urahara Shoten had nothing on them.

"I'm glad you enjoyed our food, ladies." Chizuru said cheerfully as she refilled their cups with tea. "It's always wonderful to have new fans come in and be hooked."

"What I'm surprised is that business is so slow today…" Rukia murmured, observing that the restaurant had no other customers except for her, Inoue, and the previous guests.

Chizuru smiled. "This is our slow hour. By lunch everything goes to hell here! Students, businessmen, housewives – heck, everyone in Karakura eats here! You should see how harried we are." She tells them with a shudder. "It's unfortunate we're one cook short. Our prized ramen-maker doubles to make the okonomiyaki…"

"Why?" Inoue asks sympathetically.

"Sitting on an unoccupied chair across the two, Chizuru shrugs. "Maki-chan decided to go after the guy she loves. He's moving to Hokkaido, so Maki-chan packed up and left to go after him."

Inoue's eyes sparkle. "Wow, true love!"

Snorting, Chizuru gives the other a weird look. "Yeah right. Maki-chan's stalking the poor guy. She actually followed him here from Tokyo and before that she followed him from Nagasaki."

"Some determination." Inoue said in amazement, forgetting about the 'stalking' part. "Did he reject her?"

"Dear, she hasn't even spoken to him… well, she did, technically, but that was more in the lines of 'Enjoy your meal' and 'Is there anything else you'd like to order?"

Rukia winces in sympathy. Humans sure were weird creatures. Suddenly, an idea hits her. "So you still need someone to make okonomiyaki, right?"

"Oh yeah, why?"

Giving the other a serious look, Rukia decides to try her luck. "Can I try then?"

Chizuru looks at her for a moment. "Are you any good?"

Inoue nods fervently, "Oh yeah – Rukia-san is a wonderful cook!"

"Do you use red bean paste?" the waitress asks suspiciously.

Rukia looks affronted. "Not unless it's required."

"Hey, Teuchi-san!" Chizuru hollers, "Someone here wants to apply."

From inside the kitchen, a balding older man pokes his head out. "Tell her to get in here so we can see how she makes okonomiyaki."

"You heard the old dude."

Without another word, Rukia stands up and nods. "Alright."

"Go Rukia! Fight on!" Inoue cheers as she watches her friend walk to the kitchens.

***

Being in his shinigami form, even for a minute fills Ishida with a rush. He squelches this ruthlessly as he takes up his signature stance. His right hand extends forward; a spiritual bow emerges as he takes in the sight of the roaring hollow.

He may be in self-exile, but Ishida Uryuu does not shirk away from his responsibilities – especially the ones he swore to uphold.

The tell-tale glow of his spiritual arrow is seen as he prepares himself for battle.

Enraged, the hollow runs full-tilt towards him.

Ishida is calm and his hand is steady while his aim never waivers.

The hollow roars and he ignores the loud, grating noise.

He lets go of the arrow and it flies straight and true, hitting its mark with deadly accuracy.

With a cry of pain, the hollow is purified, soul finally free from the foul taint of evil.

The spiritual bow dissipates, returning to its original form – an empty hilt. This is the sleeping version of a zanpaktuô. The form of his soul's power.

Turning to look at the trembling soul of an old man behind him, Ishida turns the hilt around and performs konsō.

A dark butterfly flutters into the sky before it disappears from his sights.

With a press on the spiritual phone, Ishida's gigai materializes to cover his soul. Then he is once again Ishida Uryuu – Karakura's fashion designer extraordinaire.

"Che." A voice behind him spits out.

"It really is not my fault I got here before you, Kurosaki." He says coolly, aware at the disappointment coming from the man behind him. "If you hurry, maybe you can get the next one."

"Bastard."

"Mind you, I was busy with my designs. Imagine my surprise to find that I was here first." Ishida murmurs smugly.

"Die you asshole." Ichigo spits as he eyes his fukutaicho grimly.

***

The smell of the seafood Okonomiyaki permeates the air in the restaurant. Some of the other customers look around excitedly as Inoue dashes to the counter from where her friend was standing, a plate of freshly cooked okonomiyaki in her hands.

Every staff in the restaurant is aware of the tension and they all stop from their respective jobs to eye the small woman who with deft movements made a dish of delicious-smelling okonomiyaki. Maki Hana was a skilled cook and her specialty was a famous one in _Soul Food_.

Would this slip of a girl top the mouth-watering creations of the lovesick Maki-chan? Would she make something that made the customers feel the bittersweet feel of first love with just one bite?

Yes, the people working in _Soul Food _were romantic and it was only their favorite Maki-chan who brought about drama that was only seen in Jdoramas.

Old man Teuchi, the senior chef and the one in charge when the owner was out in his many business trips takes the plate and sniffs at it carefully. He eyes the food intently before he takes a fork and cuts out a small piece, which he pops in his mouth.

Rukia waits with bated breath as does everyone else.

Teuchi is silent for a moment. Then he turns to Rukia with his eyes shining with tears and smiles broadly. "Better than Maki-chan's!"

The crowd erupts into cheers.

Rukia feels her cheeks heat with a blush. Nii-sama always enjoyed her cooking – even if he never made mention of it. But whenever Rukia offered to cook at the manor, no one else was allowed to do anything in the kitchen.

Inoue once pointed out that this was Byakuya's way of showing how much he enjoyed his sister's culinary efforts.

Chizuru grabs a bite for herself and she cries in happiness. "We're back in business, guys!" she shouts over the din as the other waiters and cooks come out from their hiding spots to sample Rukia's okonomiyaki.

The regular customers hear this and suddenly there was a clamor for the okonomiyaki.

Teuchi puts a fatherly hand on Rukia's shoulder. "Welcome to _Soul Food_. I hope you're ready for lunch hour."

With that, Inoue gives a shriek and jumps to hug her friend as the others offered their congratulations. Teuchi's stamp of approval was the standard for success.

It is because of the celebrations that no one hears the chimes sound as the doors open.

One fortunate soul was able to look and he cries "Boss! We have someone to take over Maki-chan!"

"Oh?" a masculine voice asks in amusement. "If you're all this excited, somebody give me a taste of that."

Everyone is immediately silenced.

As a chorus of 'welcome back, boss' and 'good to see you again, boss' are heard, Rukia's body freezes in surprise. She feels her body go numb and is unable to look up, her eyes remaining fixed on the plate of Okonomiyaki. The fact that Inoue gasps from across her is a sure sign that something unexpected has just happened.

The voice is hauntingly familiar.

There is silence, only punctuated by the sounds of someone walking towards her.

_Oh Kami… no!_

Rukia swallows nervously before she lifts her head up to look at the owner of _Soul Food_. It was then she knew why everything about this place unnerved her and why the feeling of unease was persistent.

Her eyes meet a shocked stare.

Dimly, the sound of a bag hitting the floor is heard, but no one pays any attention to this. Everyone is riveted to the fact that their boss, the owner of the _Soul Food_ was looking agape at the newly hired okonomiyaki chef.

"Kuchiki Rukia?" he asks in disbelief, eyes mysteriously unreadable.

Rukia's heart jumps to her throat as her eyes water. _No… No… not him… not here… not now…_

"Kaien-dono…"

***

**C.** **LeShay's corner:**

Yes, this chapter is kinda short; I did tell you all that my beta is so stubborn. Also, I really have no idea how much things cost in Japan, all I know is that the cost of living there is expensive.

We are currently in the negotiation process for the next chapter, but the damn woman (my muse) is so stubborn. Do review guys, I miss reading reviews. My beta (recklessflight) has so graciously continued helping me here, so I owe this to her too.

**Bunnisteffi**, I am so sorry the December schedule was waaaayyy too late. ***Bows*** Please forgive me! To daddy **Kaya**, thank you for the wonderful Birthday, Christmas, and New Year's gift – the card with IchiRuki rendition is tacked on my corkboard at work and it gives me inspirtation.

**Yes**, I know; another **Cliffhanger**. Told you all I'll be back with a vengeance with my Cliffhanger season ***insert manic laughter***… well, if I can get the next chapters up and running, that is. Can anyone tell me the surname of Senna before I make one up? I really can't find it. Please send it to me via PM together with the link of the source (I do appreciate well-made research) and the first person to give a credible site/source will get a chance to read an excerpt of the now-finished lemon chapter for Heart's Desire. So far, only 2 people aside from me have read it.

Of course, the lucky winner is obligated not to divulge it to others until the day it is posted – which will be in a _**long time**_.

Four words: **Ichigo, Rukia; Mirror, Bed**.

GO.


	18. Chapter 18

Heart's Desire Chapter 18

By C. LeShay

Genre: Romance, AU

Characters/Pairings: IchiRuki, etc.

Rating: Still a T until further notice!

Disclaimer: Unless my name is Kubo Tite, I do not and will never own BLEACH. Do not sue; I am not getting any money out of this. Heck, I even have to **beg** my muse to give me this chapter. If you appreciate my efforts, I do not accept cash – reviews will do. Let's just say that if it weren't for those who reviewed, this chapter would have been left to rot.

Hiatus is such a dirty word right now. But, dirt is something we cannot avoid.

***

**Summary:** They may be unable to deny their attraction for each other, but does the tension between them remain unresolved? _**Or will the arrival of an old love nip this epic romance in the bud?**_ ('s note: Blame my muse – she is so cheesy today.) But before that can be answered, what has become of those at Seiretei? How do they deal in the aftermath of treachery and murder?

…

…

…

Recap of previous chapter:

_**Teuchi puts a fatherly hand on Rukia's shoulder. "Welcome to Soul Food. I hope you're ready for lunch hour."**_

_**With that, Inoue gives a shriek and jumps to hug her friend as the others offered their congratulations. Teuchi's stamp of approval was the standard for success.**_

_**It is because of the celebrations that no one hears the chimes sound as the doors open.**_

_**One fortunate soul was able to look and he cries "Boss! We have someone to take over Maki-chan!"**_

"_**Oh?" a masculine voice asks in amusement. "If you're all this excited, somebody give me a taste of that." **_

_**Everyone is immediately silenced. **_

_**As a chorus of 'welcome back, boss' and 'good to see you again, boss' is heard, Rukia's body freezes in surprise. She feels her body go numb and is unable to look up, her eyes remaining fixed on the plate of Okonomiyaki. The fact that Inoue gasps from across her is a sure sign that something unexpected has just happened.**_

_**The voice is hauntingly familiar.**_

_**There is silence, only punctuated by the sounds of someone walking towards her.  
**_

_**Oh Kami… no!**_

_**Rukia swallows nervously before she lifts her head up to look at the owner of Soul Food. It was then she knew why everything about this place unnerved her and why the feeling of unease was persistent.**_

_**Her eyes meet a shocked stare. **_

_**Dimly, the sound of a bag hitting the floor is heard, but no one pays any attention to this. Everyone is riveted by the fact that their boss, the owner of the Soul Food was looking agape at the newly hired Okonomiyaki chef.**_

"_**Kuchiki Rukia?" he asks in disbelief, eyes mysteriously unreadable.**_

_**Rukia's heart jumps to her throat as her eyes water. No… No… not him… not here… not now…**_

"_**Kaien-dono…"**_

***

There were not many things that can render a Shiba speechless. As the former head of an illustrious noble clan and the fukutaicho of Gotei 14, Shiba Kaien has seen his fair share of shocking events that could actually immunize one from being caught unaware.

The presence of Kuchiki Rukia in the living world ranked high on the list of 'shocking events'. In fact, Kaien was sure his surprise and disbelief was written clearly in his face.

"Ah… Kaien-san," Teuchi calls out politely; smiling cheerfully, as he wipes his hands on the apron he wore around his waist. "It's good to have you back. This girl will be working with us today. I hope you don't mind, after all, you did ask me to hire someone the soonest as possible."

"Huh?" Kaien asks in confusion, not getting one thing that the older man said. Hire? Who? Now?

He looks at Rukia intently for a moment as if assessing her. Then it hits him all of a sudden. "You? Work?" he asks in a sharp bark, amused disbelief written plainly in his face. What has happened to the world if rich noblewomen were loitering around the Living World, looking for a job? "What the hell, Kuchiki – since when do princesses work in restaurants?"

Rukia's eyes widens as the other employees murmur around them. Apparently, the fact that the owner knows her was surprising for them. Now, they were probably wondering the same thing as well.

It had not been her intention to deceive or play anything. All she wanted was get a job – any job. Obviously, that had been too far of a stretch for her. Because instead of finding work; Rukia unwittingly brought in drama, once again.

Truly, she must have done something terrible in her past life to get this evil karma.

"Ano, Kaien-dono…" Inoue greets him haltingly; unaware of how she could tell the former fukutaicho of the 13th division of their predicament without divulging anything to the humans. "Rukia… Rukia is…"

Coming to the same conclusion, Kaien walks to the counter purposively, his eyes not once leaving the noblewoman's face. "Let's go, Kuchiki – we have a lot to talk about."

Wordlessly, Rukia follows, obviously still in a daze.

Kaien reaches out and grabs Rukia by the arm as he hurriedly leads her to the back part of the restaurant. His office – one that remained close whenever he was away. Ignoring the looks in his employees' eyes, he unlocks the door to his office and ushers the Kuchiki princess inside.

The door closes and the lock is placed with a soft click – and soon, Inoue is the focus of everyone's attention.

"Ehehe – I still haven't finished my food!" she tells them cheerfully as she makes a run back to the table. Scooting back to her seat, Inoue takes hold of the chopsticks and eats the remaining gyoza slowly and carefully.

Oh dear, Inoue thinks worriedly, Kaien-dono was here in Karakura.

Poor Rukia-san…

***

Kaien's office is small and sparsely furnished; but it was clean and orderly, just as his office had been in Seiretei.

A bit nervously, Rukia eyes the room, taking in the modern conveniences like the computer, the television, and the serviceable desk. Finally, she looks up at Shiba Kaien who is likewise staring at her, an unreadable expression on his face. "Good morning, Kaien-dono." She says, greeting him quietly. "It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"What happened? Did that stuck-up Byakuya finally allow you to be posted to the living world?" he asks instantly. "I'm telling you – it's about time. Taicho would have promoted you…"

Wordlessly, Rukia shakes her head. "No. It's not like that…"

Kaien hears the nervousness inflicted in her voice. "Did something bad happen?"

Yet Rukia makes no reply and this causes Kaien to feel a bit apprehensive. Forcing himself to remain calm, he asks again. "What happened… Rukia?"

At his gentle tone, Rukia curses herself for being affected by it. She lets her eyes drop on the shiny floor, unable to bear looking at Kaien-dono and seeing whatever reaction he would have when she tells him the truth. "I… left, Kaien-dono." She tells him, voice soft yet even and strong. "I cannot return… not anymore."

Kaien says nothing and Rukia is forced to think that maybe she stunned him into silence. After all, it would be hard to imagine why someone like Kuchiki Rukia would leave Seiretei and her division so easily. Rukia knew no other life than being a Kuchiki and being a Shinigami – the idea of leaving her home was truly preposterous.

Suddenly, strong arms reach out and Rukia is suddenly pulled into her former superior's arms. Her face is pressed against a broad chest as she is cocooned in familiar strength.

"Did it become too much, Rukia?" he asks her worriedly, though he tries his best to make his tone softer than usual, in order not to spook her. "I'm sorry. I should have known Byakuya wouldn't be able to take care of you. I should have taken you with me, Rukia."

To her horror, Rukia felt tears prickle her eyes. "Kaien-dono…" oh dear… carefully, she extracted herself from his arms. "Please do not worry about me anymore – I am fine, I assure you."

Kaien gives her a fond smile. "I can see that. You are more… aware of your strength and you don't seem to be too closed up anymore. It feels like you've really grown."

"So… do I get the job?" she asks him teasingly as she returns his smile. "I do have to earn money, you know."

He laughs, reaching out once more to muse Rukia's hair. "The job's yours. I remember how you cook, Kuchiki – if you want to work here, I'm probably the luckiest restaurant owner in Karakura."

"Ano… Kaien-dono –

"Kaien. No more formalities here. This is the living world, our ranks and stations in life has no bearing here. So call me Kaien and I'll stop calling you Kuchiki yuki-hime."

Rukia nods, relieved; although still a bit unsettled with his obvious teasing. _Kuchiki yuki-hime_ indeed, it was his favorite nickname for her. "Ano… Shiba-san -

"Shiba-san?" Kaien asks, in scandalized horror, eyes bugging out comically. "What the hell? Still can't call me Kaien, eh? Look here, Rukia, you're no Kuchiki princess here, feel free to call me Kaien."

Wincing at the fact that she really isn't Kuchiki Rukia anymore, she nods carefully. "Ano… Kaien…" she asks, after getting an encouraging smile. "Where did you get your gigai?"

"You know Urahara?"

"That perverted sandal-hat?"

At her indignant tone, Kaien laughs heartily. "You know him then? You got your gigai from him?" Well, unless when running away from Seiretei, she made a dash for the 13th division's gigai stash (and Kaien doubts any of them were remotely human-looking), it was kind of obvious that Urahara Shoten was the first stop.

Rukia nods, quickly taking out a phone and almost shoving it against the man's nose in her haste to show the girly and disgustingly pink contraption that was practically useless for her. "Did he give you something like this?"

Eyeing the phone curiously, kaien shakes his head. "Nope. He gives away free phone now?"

"Its so we can turn into our shinigami forms."

Kaien's amusement disappears immediately. "You're still doing shinigami duties?" he asks, eyes taking over her expression guardedly.

Rukia is aware of what it is he really wanted to ask. As a shinigami defector, Kaien was a wanted man if anyone could prove that he was not dead all these time. Naturally, any shinigami on the run would be wary of fellow shinigamis seeing them. The situation is something Rukia understands perfectly. Because she and the others had been very careful in moving away from jurisdictions any shinigami might potentially be.

Well, technically she was not a shinigami any longer, even if she did her best to help as often as she could… "Well, Karakura is infested with hollows. How do you fight them?"

Surely there must be another way to access spiritual power outside these ridiculous technological contraptions that were more annoying than anything.

There is a flinty glint in his eyes as he looks out of the window. His stance is tensed and guarded, as if he is ready to engage in battle anytime soon. "Haven't been a shinigami since I got here, Rukia. Never have, never will anymore."

"What?" Rukia asks or rather splutters, aghast at this tidbit of information. "But Kaien… we are shinigamis – it is our duty."

Kaien sighs, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

Rukia feels a bit pained, seeing the familiar gesture of agitation and annoyance acted out in her presence once again, after many years.

"Rukia, I don't consider myself as shinigami anymore."

As she tended to be honest with herself, Rukia admits that she is stunned beyond belief. Kaien-dono had always been very serious and emphatic about his shinigami duty. It was one of the things that she considered as constant. It was because of Kaien-dono that she discovered her resolve to be a shinigami, and it was because of him that the burden of being a Kuchiki lessened considerably.

"Rukia –

"It is not my position to judge, and it is never my position to ask." She manages to speak in a carefully modulated tone, clenched hands finally loosening and hanging limply against her sides. "Your decision is your own; I know you have thought it over before you decided on this. Forgive me for prying."

He stops for a moment, as if unsure of what to do or what to say. "You have nothing to ask forgiveness for."

Rukia nods once again. A Kuchiki must always remain polite no matter what situation she is faced with. Besides, she thought with a hidden grimace, she had no hold whatsoever on him anyway. She had no right to question him at all. Forcing a smile on her lips, she looked up to face Kaien. "So… when do I start?"

Somewhat relieved that things have steered back into neutral and comfortable territory, Kaien smiles in response. "How does 'now' sound?" At her surprised look, he shrugs, "I'm sure you were told that we have troubles during lunch. We're a chef short so if you can start today -

"Good as any." She tells him confidently, her smile becoming more genuine.

He looks at her again, with the same closed expression on his face as before. Then he nods approvingly. "That's the spirit, Kuchiki!"

As she winces, Kaien mistakes this for disapproval that he was addressing her not as a friend. "I mean… Rukia-chan!" At her blanching reaction, he laughs. "Yeah, you'll have to put up with that again now that you're working here. Come on," he says as he grabs hold of her shoulder to lead her. "You have to meet everyone. Wait – Inoue isn't applying for a job here, right?"

Wordlessly, Rukia shakes her head. She is somewhat in a daze as Kaien shepherds her around, muttering that it was only his luck that the disaster of kitchens decided not to bother his restaurant. His jovial mood only makes Rukia feel guiltier, seeing as she somewhat withheld information regarding her current change in social status.

As she watches Kaien joke with his employees and be friendly with the regular customers, Rukia wonders: why is it that her heart isn't beating that fast enough?

***

Jyuushiro Ukitake carefully walks down the hallway in the Court of Pure Souls. He is aware of the glances the shinigamis send his way, but as a seasoned Taicho who lived through violence and peace, he takes all of it with grace.

It wasn't the first time people talked about him, questioning his abilities to be a leader, and neither will it be the last.

The rumor mills were now churning once more; on how Kuchiki Rukia defected from Seiretei together with Kurosaki Ichigo and his fukutaicho, as well as Rukia's friend, Inoue Orihime. As if that wasn't enough, his subordinate was now the main suspect in the demise of Aizen Sousuke, her fiancée and Taicho of the 5th division.

Due to recent uproar, most of the Taichos who were in Hueco Mundo returned to Seiretei ahead of time in order to assist in the inquiry and investigation on the matter that involved Kurosaki Ichigo Taicho and his wife, Kurosaki Rukia. The defection was a terrible blow to the morale of the shinigami as they lost two Taichos in the process.

To make matters worse, Yamamoto Sou-Taicho just returned today to make sure that this problem was sorted out.

And everyone who lived **this** long knew just how the Sou-Taicho sorted things out.

Jyuushiro sighs worriedly. Yamamoto was a good teacher and he was a cunning and intelligent shinigami at that; but he was also ruthless when it came to persecuting those that caused trouble for his beloved Seiretei. Despite the older shinigami's fondness for Kurosaki Ichigo-Taicho, to say that he would crush the other if he were found guilty was an understatement.

"Why is it that you're almost always connected to whatever drama that happens in Seiretei, eh Cassanova?" the cheerful tones of his long-time friend and confidant, Kyouraku Shuunsui asked.

"Perhaps that has a lot to do with me."

"Or perhaps we needed livening up. Living all these years tends to make us stuffy stuck-ups."

Shaking his head in disapproval, Ukitake mutters, "Well, this is apparently not among the things Seiretei considers as 'fun.' And don't let Yamamoto Sou-Taicho hear you say that."

"Oh please, Yama-jii knows the truth too well." Kyouraku tells him jovially as he tips back his ridiculous hat slightly to give his friend an amused glance. "He's even more stuck-up than the Kuchikis themselves – and that's saying something."

"Don't let Byakuya-kun hear that." The other admonished, though with amusement. "Or he'll think he's slipping and he'd end up tightening the strings holding him up."

The two walk on in silence, as they passed the street that led to Kurosaki Taicho's 14th division offices in court.

"I wonder how his subordinates would act and feel about this…" muses Ukitake. "They've been through a lot since Ichigo-kun's attack on Kuchiki Taicho's division."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine. You know the people who work for the Kurosakis – they're loyal to the extreme."

Ukitake says nothing in response. Instead, he makes a fervent prayer that Rukia and the others were to be in seclusion for a very long time.

***

"I told you – I dunno where he is!" Keigo shouted for the nth time, crossing his arms in annoyance. "If you have information – well, lucky you!"

From the opposite side of the holding cell, Soi Fon Taicho, of the 2nd division glares darkly. "You would have me believe that your own Taicho did not make you privy to anything? That is ridiculous!"

"Believe it." Mizuiro says cheerfully, giving the female Taicho a charming smile. It was actually nice to be in the 2nd division holding cell and interrogated by the strong-willed and _decidedly older_ Soi Fon Taicho. Mizuiro had been, for a long time, fascinated with her. "Tactics and planning are wasted on him after all. Keigo's brain will shut down automatically if overloaded… and it overloads so easily."

"You're so mean!" Came Keigo's whining. "Like Taicho ever told you anything either, _Mizu-kun_." He sang. "You were too busy chasing girls to even attend meetings. You even had the gall to hide one in your supply closet!"

Soi Fon feels her head ache with dealing with these spineless morons. "ENOUGH fools!" she shouts, stamping her foot loudly. "Stop it, both of you!" Turning she faces Tatsuki who was in the next cell. "You –

"With all due respect, Taicho; our orders were to go to the 6th and capture Kuchiki Rukia, then bring her to our division. We know nothing else; not of his marriage plans, not of any other plans, and especially not of his escape." The female officer in the 14th division said calmly.

Snarling, Soi Fon gives Tatsuki her most severe glare. "Again; do you think me gullible or foolish to believe that? Aside from being his subordinate, you are a friend of the Kurosakis. Are you saying he didn't trust you guys enough?"

"He trusts us enough, which is why he never told us!" the other shouted.

"Tatsuki!" Keigo warns, giving the woman his first serious look of the whole day. "Calm down."

Mizuiro turns to Soi Fon Taicho. "Ichigo Taicho trusts us plenty enough, Soi Fon Taicho. This is exactly why he never made us privy to his plans."

"Because he knows we would go follow him wherever he went." Keigo finishes as he turns away from the fuming Tatsuki to look at the 2nd division Taicho.

Soi Fon finds herself getting enraged at their seditious words. "You all do realize that you just said something that is tantamount to treason, don't you?"

In her cell, Tatsuki huffs. "We are shinigamis of the 14th division. We follow our Taicho with no questions, unless evidences point to the contrary. We are his eyes, his hands, and his feet."

"Ichigo is not an evil man." Keigo adds seriously, standing up straighter and grabbing the bars in a tight grip. "No matter what he does – we believe in him and will follow him."

Mizuiro nods. "Loyalty in the 14th division is earned; and you will find that no one is left doubting of our Taicho. Not now."

"And not ever." The three say in unison.

The Taicho of the 2nd division feels the insane urge to go bankai on all of them and get it over with. After all, it would be a waste of time to deal with these three in a diplomatic manner. Her division was known for persuasive dealing hidden from the eyes of the entire Gotei 14 squads.

"Taicho!" fortunately, one of Soi Fon's elite guards speak out. The doors behind them open, and the limp figure of Sado is seen dragged by two shinigami guards. "We were unable to get anything from him, no matter what we did."

Soi Fon watched as the 14th division ranked shinigami stiffed as they saw their comrade tossed none-too-gently back into his cell. Their body language spoke of fury and their intent to maim, but so far… she wondered if it was an elaborate ploy or were they actually telling the truth.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and left, her guards trailing behind her. She needed time to re-evaluate her strategies.

As well as wonder how the hell Kurosaki was able to get people so damn loyal to him.

Once the doors were closed again and finally there was silence, the three remaining ranked shinigami of Ichigo's division gave collective sighs of relief.

"Man!" Keigo complained as he slid to the floor in a boneless heap of frazzled nerves. "I thought she was going to kill us, for sure. Her hand was twitching so close to her zanpaktuô…"

"Ichigo better be okay, because the moment I find him, he's dead!" Snarled Tatsuki as she punched one fist against her palm; eyes screaming bloody murder. "He better hide real good so I can't find him easily and make his wife a widow."

Mizuiro sighed. "Well… now we've done it for sure." He said softly, as he leaned against the wall. "They're going to execute us now."

"Look at the bright side, man! At least we got to say cool lines before we die!"

Tatsuki and Mizuiro shot Keigo a look.

"Soi Fon Taicho won't have to execute you – because I WILL!" Snarled Tatsuki as she tried to lunge through the bars separating her from Keigo.

***

"Hinamori fukutaicho." Hitsugaya called out. "Why aren't you in your division?"

As Hinamori Momo turned around slightly, Hitsugaya was mollified by his usually cheerful friend looking pale and sickly. It was as if all the reiatsu in her was being drained little by little. "You should not be here." He told her harshly.

But Hinamori said nothing as she sat amongst the roots of a large tree.

It was where they found Aizen Sousuke's body. "He's dead…" she murmured softly, although her hands were trembling as they gripped the fabric of her hakama tightly. "Taicho is… dead…"

From behind one of the surrounding trees, Matsumoto Rangiku leaned against the dry bark with eyes shut tightly.

A maple leaf flutters to the ground, dancing as it spun around. It flitted a few inches from the ground before the wind picked it up completely and blew it far away.

"He was the kindest man I ever knew…" the petite fukutaicho sobbed softly. "He was polite, friendly, and he was understanding. Aizen Taicho… did nothing wrong…"

Hitsugaya was about to reach out for her when Hinamori looked up, eyes ablaze with anger.

"He LOVED her! He loved her and she threw it all away! Kuchiki Rukia was his world and she threw it all away for Kurosaki Ichigo!" gripping her arms to try and stop her body from shaking, Hinamori Momo shook her head vehemently. "Hasn't she caused him enough pain? She already threw his love away – humiliated him – broke him! Wasn't that enough?" Rocking back like a child, tears streamed down her face ceaselessly.

"Why? Why? Why?" she asked over and over again, like a broken record.

"Hinamori… we don't even know if she really did kill Aizen."

Head snapping back, Hinamori glared venomously at her childhood friend. "She killed him! She killed him!"

"Be reasonable, Hinamori!" Hitsugaya barked out authoritatively. "The traces of kidō that was discovered to have killed Aizen was above Kuchiki's capabilities. How in the world would she be able to –

"Aizen Taicho taught her!" She screamed shrilly. "He taught her how to do it!"

Stunned, Hitsugaya stepped aside. "That was a forbidden technique – it's impossible. No one is allowed to train that skill so loosely."

"But he did! Aizen taicho taught her so she could move up the ranks! I overheard – Shiro-kun! She asked him to!"

Grabbing hold of her friend's haori, Hinamori cried out desperately as her body was wracked with grief-ridden convulsions. "He taught her… and she used it to kill him… she killed him…"

***

"Hinamori fukutaicho needs complete bed rest. The stress she endured the day Aizen Taicho was killed has become far too much for her to handle."

Hitsugaya's brows furrow slightly as he stands outside the room where his friend was brought in when she fainted earlier. "Unohana Taicho," he asks quietly, though his hands are clenched tightly "When will she recover?"

There is visible sadness in the eyes of Unohana Retsu, taicho of the 4th division and the head of all the shinigami relief squad. "I'm afraid that it all depends on Hinamori fukutaicho herself. The experience traumatized her enough that she is withdrawing herself from everyone. Hitsugaya Taicho, if this keeps up… she may never recover and would instead retreat inside her mind."

The two stand side by side, a few paces away from Hinamori Momo's worried friends. Abarai Renji and Kira Izuru are both silent and are busying themselves to look at anything and anywhere else.

"What do you suggest then?" Hitsugaya asks wearily, as he gives in to the impulse to wipe his tired eyes faintly. He had been awake for more than two days, busy with mounds of paperwork in the aftermath of Kurosaki Ichigo and Rukia's escape. Matsumoto had persisted that he needed to rest, but Hitsugaya wanted to check on his friend first. "Should Hinamori fukutaicho take a leave of absence? Would she require treatments?"

Nodding, Unohana fixes her eyes on the prone figure of the 5th division fukutaicho as her mind runs on a familiar path to find possibilities. "I find that fresh air, a relaxing environment, and good friends for company are the best balm for a sorrowful soul. There is a place…" she adds slowly, as she appraises Hinamori fukutaicho, "along the 43rd district. It is a retreat house for convalescing shinigamis. I'm sure she'll be comfortable there."

He nods immediately, relieved. "For how long would she need to stay there?"

"The road to recovering is long and hard, Hitsugaya taicho." Unohana said sadly.

"Ano…" Kira Izuru mumbles from behind them. "Taicho…"

"What is it, 3rd division fukutaicho?" Hitsugaya asks curtly.

Kira swallows nervously, as he focuses on a spot beside his foot. "May we ask permission to visit Hinamori-kun often?"

Hitsugaya turns to look at him. "You're a friend of hers, right?"

"Hai, Taicho. We were at the academy together. We – Hinamori-kun, Abarai-kun, and I."

"If it would be possible," Renji adds, a bit uncomfortable. "We'd like to help her."

Unohana smiles gently. "Hinamori fukutaicho is very fortunate to have such caring friends."

"You are aware that Kuchiki Rukia is the prime suspect in murdering Aizen taicho, aren't you, Abarai fukutaicho?"

At the cold tone, Kira flinches. The topic is a sore one, as Renji and Rukia were good friends as well; and the other man often acting as the guard and protector of Byakuya Kuchiki's younger sister before she was inducted into the academy.

Renji, on the other hand, shows no outward reaction to the implied accusation. Hitsugaya Taicho may be a formidable and frightening man, but he had been fukutaicho to the coldest bastard in all of Seiretei – Kuchiki Byakuya himself – and it would take more that the gruffness of the young taicho to ruffle him now. "Kuchiki Rukia is my friend. Hinamori Momo is my friend. The 6th division has not been tasked with retrieving the deserters from the 14th. I have no conflicting loyalties."

"Your permissions must be secured from Unohana Taicho and your respective taichos." Hitsugaya said coolly. "Visit Hinamori if you want. But do not upset her in any way."

"Hai, Hitsugaya Taicho." Both men said, bowing deeply.

Turning around abruptly, Hitsugaya walks through the room intent on showing himself out. It was difficult to see his friend like this – broken and in pain; but there were still many things that were needed to be done. Hopefully, unearthing the mystery behind Aizen's death would give Hinamori the closure she was craving for.

"Hitsugaya Taicho?" Unohana's gentle voice drifted out kindly. "It is important that Hinamori fukutaicho be surrounded by friends. I think she would like it if you visited her from time to time."

***

Only nine people were present for the meeting. Of course, due to the current pressing concerns that was the war at Hueco Mundo as well as the immediate and disturbing new concerns that were the Kurosakis, the small number was expected.

The rest remained silent, standing their ground as they formed two lines of taichos, their ranks broken by the absences of the taichos from the 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, and 14th divisions.

One could say that they were even lucky they had only 5 members missing in the ranks. True, one was dead and the other defected, while the rest were at Hueco Mundo's desert wasteland… but then it could have been much, much worse.

"Thank you for being here on time." Yamamoto Genyurusai Sou-Taicho said as he sat on his chair, eyes shut loosely, though the tension in his shoulders were unmistakable. "We are here to discuss and update the issue regarding Kurosaki Ichigo's treachery and defection as well as Kurosaki Rukia's supposed murder of Aizen Sousuke."

Standing on his customary position to the left of the Sou-Taicho, Kuchiki Byakuya gave no outward reaction to the name of his sister being mentioned.

"Has there been any new developments on the investigation regarding Kurosaki's attack on the 6th?"

Clearing his throat, Hitsugaya stepped forward. "As of the moment there are none. All we have are those we have learned of previously."

"Is there any reason why Kurosaki would attack the 6th division?"

At the Sou-Taicho's question, the other shinigami taichos looked at the head of the 6th Division.

Unruffled at the attention, Kuchiki Byakuya fixed his eyes upon the seated form of the Sou-Taicho. "None at all." He said in a tone that held no infliction.

"Che!" Zaraki Kenpachi, taicho of the 11th sneered. "Kurosaki was spoiling for a fight – he should have picked MY division, not that band of pansies."

"With all due respect." Ukitake said, raising his voice slightly to catch everyone's attention. "We have yet to address the reason that Kurosaki Taicho himself has supplied us regarding why he chose the 6th division."

"Kuchiki Rukia?" Soi Fon asked in disbelief. "Are you really saying that this is about **her**? It is quite obvious that this is to gain power."

Kyouraku Shunsui smiled at the 2nd division taicho. "A woman's beauty can topple down civilizations; can drive a man to gamble everything; and can force thoughts of honor to depart."

Ukitake sighed at the impromptu – and **very** loose – reference. It was so like Shunsui to do; especially so if the situation was this grave. "Excuse him, he was re-reading the Iliad two weeks ago..."

"But I speak of the truth!" Kyouraku insisted gamely, smiling his usual smile. "Kuchiki Taicho's sister has long been referred to as a prize among men. She is our version of Helen of Troy."

"Kyouraku Taicho," Unohana Retsu said kindly, though many were sure that her words were that of warning. "You do both Kurosaki-taicho and Kuchiki Rukia-san a disservice with that analogy. I am confident that neither had their minds clouded with desire."

Throughout the debacle, Byakuya showed no outward reaction to what he thought about the theory.

Yamamoto Sou-Taicho slammed his walking stick onto the wood flooring. "If Kurosaki is not addled with lust or thirst for power – then WHAT?"

There was only silence.

Finally, Hitsugaya turned to the sou-taicho. "Aizen Taicho."

"What?"

"When he was detained, Kurosaki Taicho was saying that Aizen Taicho was behind the death of his mother."

"Kurosaki Masaki?"

"That was already dismissed after Aizen Taicho was cleared from the list of suspects." Soi Fon said, as she looked at the younger taicho.

Ukitake looked away, privy as he was to Ichigo's recounting during that fateful night. After all, he and Kyouraku had been among the first to visit Kurosaki Isshin the night his wife was murdered.

He would be unable to forget the heartbroken look on Ichigo's face when 2nd division investigators arrived to inform him that his testimony would not be given to Central 46. The sorrow and disappointment had morphed into rage right before his eyes after Aizen was removed from the roster of suspects.

"Aizen taicho claims that Kurosaki taicho had been addled with grief and that it had been taken advantage of."

Ukitake shares a glance with his friend. Both he and Kyouraku knew that Ichigo had carried that grudge against Aizen fror a very long time. His fanatic belief could only have been brought about by mental instability.

Or a deeply rooted sense of certainty.

"Aizen said that the one who took advantage of Kurosaki's vulnerability was… Urahara Kisuke."

"Urahara."

As the Sou-Taichou mutters this name with obvious distaste, Ukitake stifles a sigh. Now that the former Taicho of the 12th division and the first head of the Technological Research Bureau was mentioned, things for Ichigo had turned from worse to worst.

***

Kuchiki Byakuya walks along the hallways, his sandal-shod feet not making even the smallest noise as they glide along the polished wooden floorboards. His movements are precise, deliberate, almost a slow-motion version of his impressive shuunpo.

In motion, he is grace personified. In stillness, he is marble in nature. To this day, no one can put claim to know what thoughts dwell in Kuchiki Byakuya's head. No one was given the privilege save for his long-departed wife.

The Taicho of the 6th division walks calmly yet with purpose to his destination, aware of just how much scrutiny he is placed under.

Since Rukia's defection, he had been treated as an unjust monster, one who had deliberately ignored and pushed his sibling aside, and ruthlessly enough to drive her to seek the comfort of a loose cannon. However, there are others who merely look at him with pity in their eyes, knowing that the latest scandal would do the Kuchiki name no good.

Kuchiki Byakuya did not want the pity, nor did he relish being painted as the villain. But that was neither here nor there.

The heir of the oldest, most prominent clan in Seiretei ignored everyone. Rukia had made her decision; Rukia knew of the consequences, he had taught her that much.

Kuchiki Byakuya was torn between giving his sister the benefit of the doubt that she could survive in the world of the living; and yet he finds himself wishing that she would be found.

Because Byakuya Kuchiki knows that though Seiretei's punishment for traitors and murderers is harsh, there are a lot of worse things that lie in wait for her outside the realm of the spirits. After all, they were shinigami, and they were never afraid of death – but the thought of their souls being turned inside and out by fright and frustration is enough to make them feel fear.

With the way the Sou-Taicho planned to pursue the traitors, he has no doubt that despair would wound and shatter his sister more than any zanpaktuô would.

"Hey, Kuchiki!" a voice calls out. The sound of his name was rasped and the tone was biting and lacking the formalities of education.

Without a word, he turns and finds Zaraki Taicho leaning against a heavy wall.

Zaraki smiles, or rather bares his fangs in a way a predator would give to its prey before attacking. "So… your sister, huh? Must have been a shock, having an honorable Kuchiki just go crazy and off a guy, eh?"

Byakuya says nothing, merely letting the other say whatever he wanted. Others may not see it, but he could feel something in him coiling like a spring at those words. However, the many centuries of breeding instilled upon him is something the noble had always fallen back to.

"So…" Zaraki asks again. "Heard your old men are pissed with the little runt. Maybe I can make it go away." In one fast move via shunpo, he appears behind Kuchiki Byakuya. "You want me to make a hush-hush execution? I can go to the living world with no old shit finding out. I can lob off her head for you – make sure its painless." Zaraki grins with menace. "But I can't make the same guarantees for your brother-in-law. 'Coz Ichigo's death will really hurt."

Byakuya gives the other Taicho a sideways glance, face expressionless. "You presume to understand laws governing nobles?"

The other smiles a feral grin. "There's a problem – eliminate it. Isn't that what you do?"

"You assume you know how I act. We are not on the same level." Byakuya says coolly, reigning in the anger that was slowly bubbling up from inside him. The impudence of Zaraki Kenpachi against his squad and his subordinates was something that he took pains to avoid at all cost, but this barb of his was too personal to ignore anymore.

"Why you piece of shit!" snarled Zaraki. "Do you want me to cut you down?"

"Do you want me to let you try?"

With a howl of anger, Zaraki reaches for his zanpaktuô.

And suddenly, he is no longer there.

"What the fuck!" Zaraki shouts from the rooftops. "You asshole!"

"Oh… but really, Zaraki Taicho, ya wouldn't wanna pick a fight wi' Kuchiki Taicho, do ya?"

From his position on the first level, Kuchiki Byakuya eyes the newcomer.

"Sorry 'bout tha' Kuchiki Taicho! It's all prob'ly a misunderstandin!" Ichimaru Gin, the taicho of division three calls out cheerfully despite being weighed by a squirming bundle of monstrous taicho that he kept wrapped in long rolls of bandages. "Hope ya don't take it outta me. Remember I'm tryin' ta keep 'im in line!"

Byakuya watches the flaxen-haired taicho. Ichimaru Gin. The man whose idea of fun was to make a shinigami piss in his hakama in fear. The man who had been considered as a prodigy like him; who had impressed everyone at the Institute despite being a scavenger of Rukongai.

What was he doing here, anyway? Ichimaru Gin was never the type to be seen having a civilized conversation with any other shinigami outside his division.

"What the fuck Ichimaru!" Roared Zaraki as he strained against the bandages. "Let me have a swipe at him! If you don't let me go, I'll kill you myself!"

"Mou! Zaraki Taicho, don't ya think it's impolite to go on killin' fellow taichos?" Waving one last time at the taicho of division six, Ichimaru Gin grins. "Well, see ya around!"

Byakuya watches the two disappear. Without another word, he turns on his heel gracefully and resumes his walk to his office.

***

In the 2nd division, Soi Fon Taicho stands in the middle of the room; facing the window, with her hands clasped loosely behind her back.

One of her ranked shinigami appears behind her. "Taicho, sir! They are here."

Turning her head slightly, Soi Fon gave the dismissal. As the shinigami disappeared, there was a blur of shadow, and the empty room was soon occupied by twelve black-garbed figures. Unlike the shinigami, they were not wearing the standard outfit; rather they were dressed in close-fitting cloths that covered every inch of them – including ther faces. In fact, all that one would see were their eyes.

They were the squad leaders of the 2nd division's secret police. All were lethal and stealthy; able to move as quickly and silently as the wind, making them the primary choice for spying missions.

And they all answered to Soi Fon herself.

"I want a network established." Soi Fon said curtly, in a quiet voice that she had no doubts reached every single one of them. "Head off to the world of the living – take three others and form separate cells. I don't care how you do it but I want it done and done swiftly."

Glaring, she faced the others with a hard expression on her face. "No disappointments from you all. Visit every small town in every damn country. Leave no stone unturned.

"I want information on Kurosaki Ichigo and Kurosaki Rukia."

The members of the secret police bowed down. "As you wish, taicho, sir!"

***

"Good work today, Kuchiki-san!"

Rukia turns to one of the waitresses, Tsubame Kita, a cheerful college freshman who wore her hair in a shocking color of emerald green. "Thank you, Kita-san! You've been very patient with helping me learn my way." she said, bowing slightly to show her respect.

"We should be thanking you, child." Teuchi chimes in. "We're now back in the game!"

Hiding a wince, Rukia feels bothered by the 'child' reference. After all, she was only a good few years younger than the old cook – she just didn't look like it.

"Is Inoue-san dropping by to pick you up?" Chizuru asks hopefully, making Rukia almost laugh at her eagerness.

Was it a coincidence that back at the Kuchiki compound, they had a servant from Rukongai named Chizuru Honsho as well? That she looked very much like the Chizuru Honsho of _Soul Food_?

"I'm afraid Inoue needs to work overtime tonight." Rukia tells the waitress as she picks up her things. "Perhaps tomorrow she'll drop by after work."

"You ready to go, Rukia?"

Startled, Rukia looked up. Kaien was already by the door, leaning against the wall and was obviously waiting for her. "Kaien-dono?"

"What?" he asked, giving her a smile, "You think I'd let my prized okonomiyaki chef go home on her own, did you?"

"But," she spluttered in embarrassment, "I can take care of myself – no disrespect meant."

He smiled, "Aw come on! You're gonna ruffle my ego now? I'll walk you home, Rukia. Come on."

Nervously, Rukia grabbed her handbag, aware of the curious looks she got from the rest of the staff.

"Come on, stop dawdling!" Kaien mock-reprimanded her as he took hold of her arm and led her out of the restaurant, waving at the others.

Seeing the smiles on their faces, Rukia inwardly blanched, knowing that they were assuming that Kaien seeing her home had a different connotation. She was a married woman, for crying out loud!

"You still have your head stuck amongst the clouds, eh Rukia?"

Startled, Rukia chuckled nervously. "You know me well... Kaien-dono..."

Suddenly, Kaien's arm came up to wrap itself around her shoulders.

At her surprised expression, Kaien smiled. "Next time bring a jacket. You'll turn blue with cold."

"Arigatou." Rukia whispered. Was it due to the cold, or was her voice just husky?

"Its been a while, hasn't it?"

"Decades." Rukia agreed. "I... I... well... I missed you. We all did."

There was a sad, rueful smile on Kaien's face. "Yeah. So did I. I often wondered about everyone."

"Taicho's fine." Rukia told him immediately, guessing what that pensive look on his face meant. "He still works himself too hard. But Kiyone and Sentaro take care of him; as well as Kyouraku Taicho and Unohana Taicho."

"Good." he said in relief. "And you? What rank are you?"

Feeling her face burn, Rukia shook her head.

Kaien's arm tightened around her shoulder. "That Byakuya." he sighed in disappointment. "How long must he persist being an idiot. You're ready to have a rank, Rukia... I know you deserve it."

Well it wasn't possible now, was it? Rukia thought wryly. She was lucky if they never found her, because the moment they did – she was dead.

"So what have you been doing all these years?" Kaien asked, shifting the topic to calmer waters as he noticed her discomfort. "Not cooking all the time?"

Rukia felt herself smile. "Training and honing my skills, Kaien-dono. Social functions. Paperworks." the smile on his face was infectious at hearing her doing paperwork. "Patrol in Rukongai. Wedding preparations. Assisting in academy propaganda. Instructing new shinigami recruits -

"What?" Kaien asked, interrupting her recounts. "Did you just say wedding preparations? Is Byakuya **finally** getting married again?"

"Err..." Rukia muttered, wincing. "Well... no."

"Who was going to get married?"

"Me." She replied in a small voice.

Kaien paused mid-step, making the shinigami he was holding stop as well. "You were getting married? To whom?" He asked, his eyes narrowing immediately.

"To Aizen Taicho."

There was a glint of something in Kaien's eyes, but it was gone a second later. Now he looked annoyed; "Did that brother of yours put you up to that?"

Rukia raised a brow. "Excuse me? Can I not make my own decisions?"

"**You** decided to marry Aizen?"

"It wasn't like I could just let them pick a husband for me." she hedged, deciding it was prudent not to mention the exact reason she picked Aizen Taicho. "At least Aizen Taicho would have respected me, instead of treating me like a brood mare and money bag."

_**No, Aizen would have respected you – but he would have killed you too**_, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Ichigo sounded in her head.

Ichigo.

Rukia stopped abruptly.

"Rukia? What's wrong?"

Oh hell no. She had forgotten about Ichigo. "Dinner!"

"You want to eat dinner?" Kaien asked skeptically.

Their house was right smack in front of them, and it was only now that Rukia remembered that she failed to call Ichigo and inform him that she got a job. Oh god, did he have lunch already? Did he cook dinner? Was he frantic with worry looking for her?

Right. Like he'd be worried.

Well, he might – after all, who was going to cook for him? If she was caught, they'd trace his location for sure.

"Rukia?" Kaien asked again.

Oh horror! Rukia just realized that she failed to tell Kaien-dono that she was married, why she was married, and why she was in the world of the living. "Kaien dono, I think you can go now." she said in a rush. "I can perfectly take care of myself."

"I said I'd see you home."

"This is my home." she said, pointing quickly to her house. "So," she said as she noded emphatically, "you can -

"Oh great – now you can give me a tour of your house!" he said enthusiastically, as he half-dragged, half-pushed her into the porch. "I won't say no to tea and onigiri too, I remember you make a mean onigiri!"

"Bad time." she said in a rush, as she attempted to dissuade him from coming in. "House not furnished. Floors are dirty." Oh crap, how was she going to tell Kaien-dono that she was already married and was running away from Seiretei. She couldn't just bring him into this mess!

"Oh come on, what's the worse that could happen?"

Suddenly, the door was flung open violently "Rukia! What the hell is wrong with you going out and disappearing like -

Rukia winced as Ichigo's expression (was it a frantic look she just saw?) froze dramatically upon realizing that she was not alone.

Beside her, Rukia could see Kaien's jaw became unhinged as he spotted the orange-haired neanderthal that was her husband.

"**YOU!**" Both men cried out angrily, pointing accusing finger at each other. "**What the hell are you doing here?"**

***

**C. LeShay's corner**:

Meh! Another cliffie. Sorry about that, I just couldn't help myself.

Lemon is still so far away; sorry to disappoint, but I can't just slap it next chapter – so not my style.

Chapter 19 **may** come out; and with it, the reason why I was injecting Kaien in previous chapters.

Finally:

I'm starting to lose momentum with IchiRuki; bad yeah, but the Sci-Fi geek in me cannot be denied so I'm watching such shows again. Just bought (finally – its not found **anywhere** where I live, ya know...) the DVD Box set of Star Wars Prequel Trilogy; Wahoo! Now MY SAGA COLLECTION IS FINALLY COMPLETE! Let me just say the special features was so worth the money! ***clears throat*** So sorry about that fangirling. I don't even KNOW when the next chapter will be written.

Again, thanks to those who are still reading this thing; plus to my betas – we wouldn't reach chapter 18 without you guys.


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